


With Strength Unbending

by Born2Write



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Acquaintances to allies to enemies to allies to friends to lovers., Arranged Marriage, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Courage, Difficult Elizabeth, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Integrity, Marriage Contracts, Misunderstandings, Protective James, Rescue Missions, Sacrifice, Selfless James, Sword Fighting, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Trust Issues, faithfulness, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2019-11-15 14:08:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 69,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18074870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Born2Write/pseuds/Born2Write
Summary: She's the loveliest woman in the whole world. It's foolish to think he even has a chance with her. Still he'll do anything and everything to protect her and ensure her happiness with whomever she chooses. Seeing her happy is enough for him to be so. She has chosen Will and he willingly stands aside brokenhearted but silent. As dark clouds gather in the corners of the skies, however, and converge in on her world, he has no choice but to stand unwavering between the thing she wants and the thing she needs.  Is it better for him to love and protect and face her despising him or turn a blind eye and allow her to tie her own noose? Together they'll have to face the consequences of their own actions. Life lessons are rarely asked for but often worth more than the most tirelessly hunted treasure in all the seas.Love grows slowly and flashes quickly into our lives we each experience it differently and at varying degrees yet true love is unshaken, unfading and unbeatable. No matter it's opposition, it's critics, or it's circumstances, love never fails.He may never love another.  She may never love him. He will never want what isn't his. He can focus on his job and stand as a  stoic guardian...until he no longer can.





	1. I do, I pledge myself to you

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> So first of all I own nothing obviously. The characters and names all belong to Disney. I just think James is a really good guy and am sad that he didn't get the girl...so I decided to write him a happy ending :). I hope you all enjoy and please feel free to comment! I look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback!
> 
> I don't know how frequently I'll be posting, hopefully often, but work and life and all happens so if I don't post in awhile I haven't forgotten about it, I'm just busy. I love to write though so I'm trying to put more time for it in my schedule...we'll see how that goes...lol :). 
> 
> If this goes well I might turn it into a series...not too sure about that yet. We'll see. I'm also working on a Steve/Natasha series that I haven't published here yet so that's also calling my name...:)  
> Okay guys have fun!
> 
> Oh one more thing,  
> In the first bit I'm going to be staying in James' POV but I will be switching back and forth between both he and Elizabeth's.

How did he get here? When did life start moving so fast? His old captain had once told him, 'when life is not where you want it to be it feels like a windless summer's day with not a wave to help you along. When everything is good, the wind is finally at your back hold tight to something and focus on what's ahead for that's when your destined to crash upon the rocks.' His old captain had a rather dreary idea of life honestly. Besides none of his advise had but much help let alone true in Jame's life. It never really seemed to slow down. Sure he could see how in some cases it was probably that way but it also likely depended on how one looked at his life. His old captain had not evidently learned to see the bright side. 

To be honest though, at this moment there didn't seem to be much of a bright side in his situation either. Here he stood opposite the one he loved more than all others, and being fair James didn't allow himself to become attached to too many people as it was. You can only guard from so many angles at once. Life at see was good but seldom lent itself, despite all the travel, to knowing too many people. His men were hard working and he admired their diligence but he allowed no lack of discipline on his ship. So here he is in his royal navy coat golden buttons polished, his cream trousers creaseless, shining black boots completing his look. He wanted to present nothing but his best for her. She was way above him and he had no delusions on that account-the least he could do was honor her with the finest of what he had. 

Regardless of his efforts, her blank stare seem to go right through him, when she finally got around to looking his direction that is. It was no secret that she did not want to be here. That much had been made clear by her complete disregard for him the entire time. Behind her her father sat quietly observing while the minister continued on with his benediction to the small audience. James's heart seemed to pound and ache and be torn in two all at the same time. Could he actually do this? Could he marry Elizabeth without her loving him? Yes, of course. What was he thinking of course he could. This was his duty and he would not shirk it now. As his mother had always said when he was a very small boy: 'If you see someone in need and you can help them. It is your duty to do so.' 

"Duty," Her chin shifted and her eyes snapped up to his for the briefest second. Across her eyes flashed pain, anger, which when they weren't busy looking lifeless had been her most common expressed emotions, but now for a raw moment fear joined in the miserable ensemble on her face. Had he said it out loud? Could he have let his self-control slip for any other moment but this. Horrified, he bent a little lower to apologize but her eyes had already drifted down to where they currently gazed through his chest again. She owed him nothing more. He could have figured away around this. If only he'd been given a little more time. But with things being as they were he did not seem to have much if any other choice. Things were as they were and they would make due with what they had. Still it was hard to remember or even know if one single action set them on this path that led them here. Before a minister, in the company of her father, and his Lieutenant, Theodore Groves, along with a few others he wasn't sure he knew. 

Thankfully the minister had not skipped a beat, at James' rude and unintentional interruption. Now came the vows and he would say them and hope that one day she would forgive him. That was all he could ever ask of her. This would end her chances with Will despite his desire to allow her what she wanted. Heaven forgive him for binding himself to a woman who neither loved nor wanted him. Perhaps one day. He glanced back down at her. Elizabeth held her head high now and was staring strait at the minister listening with full attention to his words and with calm clear intent nodded and spoke her part. It all seemed a hazy dream this couldn't be real. Except it was. Gently she took his hand. Her fingers were ice on his skin, which he was starting to become acutely aware was sweaty. Had he missed something? Was there something he should have been listening more closely too while his mind traveled to it's dark contemplation's? She glanced up at him then back to his hand as she slipped a ring on his finger. As slowly as possible he drew in a breath and let it out as she abruptly dropped his hand once the ring was firmly in place. The softest sniffle echoed from her. 

Turning his full attention to what was happening, he looked down at the minister. Resisting the urge to examine his new extension, James listened to the minister. "And you Admiral? Do you take Elizabeth Swan, to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto pledge her your faith?" James swallowed. This was it. He looked from the warm gray eyes of the minister to the face of the young woman beside him. Her cheeks were flushed and her jaw so tight he wondered if she might brake a tooth. Still she did not look at him, but preferred to glare at the minister. He couldn't blame her, this is not what she wanted. He cleared his throat. "I do, Sir." Her chest visibly dropped in an exhaled breath he didn't know she was holding. The ministered nodded approvingly and someone handed him a ring. Trying to keep steady, James reached out and slowly took her hand, lifting it with the grace one would use when holding a baby. Aside from her body being turned strait forward toward the direction of her gaze, she offered no resistance to him. In in fact as he slipped the small ring on her finger, she even seemed to relax ever so slightly. "I do, Elizabeth, I do pledge myself to you." He whispered. Surprising him, she did not jerk her hand away although it lay loose and still in his large palm she seemed to relent her distaste for him a small fraction, but it was so unexpected he couldn't help his heart soaring above to the heavens even for just the second before the minister continued. "Then I pronounce you Admiral and Lady Norrington." That did the trick, her hand tensed in his as if expecting a sudden grip or commanding demand. His brows furrowed a moment before her father came to give her a hug and Theodore slapped him on the shoulder and shook his hand. "Well done Admiral. She is lovely." James thought he might have heard Elizabeth gasp but couldn't be sure. "Where are you off to now?" Theodore was full of helpfulness on the tensing of the situation. James inhaled through his nose and held his head high. "There is a small home for us which we will retire to shortly." Theodore grinned but only nodded and winked which all things considered, Jame counted as a blessing. He could be saying much worse. "Well you will take good care of my Elizabeth, now won't you Admiral?" Her father walked over to him and shook his hand. "Sir, I will always take the greatest of care with Elizabeth. And you are welcome whenever you like. Our home is open to you always sir." He gripped his father-in-law's hand reassuringly. "Thank you, yes thank you for all that you have done, and all that you will do, though I'm sure I shall never be able to truly express my gratitude." "No need sir. I am the one indebted to both you and Elizabeth." James protested firmly and glanced passed the older man to the young woman who he now realized had one eyebrow tilted up and her eyes slightly squinted as she for the second time that day searched his face with attention.

"All grown up and a married woman." Her father patted her arm then rubbed her shoulder and looked proud, relieved and a bit saddened as he gazed into her eyes. "Well then, I suppose we should see you off now." "Oh sir, no, no, there's no need for that just yet." James assured him stepping a bit closer. He didn't mean to tower but he was just so tall and it seemed mocking and disrespectful to stoop his stature to stand eye to eye with the governor. The shock of fear that tightened her face instantly at her father's words seemed to ease out of her eyes at James'. "Yes see father, Admiral Norr-" Although James could not see the governor's face something in his posture heightened and Elizabeth's sudden loss for words seemed to indicated an unspoken communication between father and daughter. "-James I mean of course," She paused and glanced at him once more. Her father nodded and she continued. "James, does not seem to be in haste." She reasoned quickly "Nonsense my dear, and Admiral you as well. I know you will live a small distance from here and will need time to settle in before you loose what precious sunlight is left of the day. Go, now. It's time. I will see you both soon I'm sure." Elizabeth looked like she might strangle him, poor soul. With a nod, James stepped towards them. "Elizabeth, if you will?" James offered his arm and her focus was broken and she quietly looped her arm in his and walked along side him, her proud shoulders dropped ever so slightly. "Good day to you all." With that James lead his young bride away. Now he was thankful he'd been put in the royal navy at such a young age as it had allowed him to reach high command at an early and accelerated rate. Even now though he was only 26 he was able to he held the title Admiral, he owned his own home, and was able to provide for his new wife, though he knew she was used to much grander things than he could offer, at least he had something to give, for which he was glad. 

In silence they climbed into the small coach and headed to their new home.


	2. A New World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning on staying in James' pov for awhile but Elizabeth's head cannon was just too enticing so I did a bit of both. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! Please feel free to comment and critique! I'd love to hear what you think!  
> Thanks!

The drive to their new home was long. Long and quiet. Long and quiet and long. James glanced over at Elizabeth who seemed determined to burn a hole through the side of every building, tree and random dog they passed with her eyes glaring out the window. With a sigh, James leaned against the side of the coach. Sagging a little, the dark leather creased under the weight of his shoulder and head. As he gently crossed his leg, he noticed Elizabeth's shoulders tense. Was he that repulsive to her? He held no delusions here about their situation but he had meant to be as accommodating as possible.

Her fingers knit together in a firm grasp. Her jaw flexed and relaxed as his eyes scanned her face. He had not meant to make her uncomfortable. Was there something he could say that would ease her vexed mind. It would be easier if he knew for sure what she was upset about. If he just asked her what was troubling her, at least she could tell him how to help her or to just leave her be and then either way the issues would be somewhat resolved. Clearing his throat, James sat up a bit ready to clear the waters. "Miss Swann,- that is," She shot up with a start and if he thought she was ridged before he had another thing coming. This was the perfect way to start a marriage. He frowned for a moment till he glanced at her. She was still not looking at him. Squinting her eyes, she leaned forward ever so slightly. Raising an eyebrow, James leaned forward a bit nearer her and followed her line of sight out off the cliffs, past the beach into the lagoon where of all things in the green blue waters of the sea floated of all things the Black Pearl. His eyes grew and it was his turn to clench his jaw. That pirate had some nerve coming here now.

  
The look in Elizabeth’s eyes was painfully obvious. Her lips parted and trembled a little. In suppressed effort her chest heaved slightly. Every muscle in her neck strained. Slowly he closed his eyes as he sighed. What kind of life would they have, practically? Small chips of his heart falling with every moment he noted her resentment, her pain, her rejection. Anger building within her at her devastation of being caged like some bird longing to be free, hating her captor every moment of every day. This would not do. A single tear carrying the weight of his emotions sped down the side of his cheek and he was once again thankful for the darkness of the coach. His hand shook at his side and he quickly swiped away at the tear.

  
Pursing then biting his lips, he scrunched his nose and swallowed before attempting to turn his face impassive. Clearing his throat, he sat up a little straighter. She nearly jumped. “Elizabeth,” His voice was a bit raspier than he’d hoped for. Her eyes shot up to meet his then darted down to his chest then his hands and back to his face. Though her head was held high, shoulders up, back strait, her fingers were white. He swallowed again. The ache in the back of his throat was growing more intolerable and the weight in his chest seemed to be gaining by the hairs-breath of time that past at a rapid pace at the moment. Could he actually do this? Lifting his chin,he held himself unnaturally stiff. He would not let her see his pain. She maybe crushing him to dust but she didn’t seem to realize or care that she was doing it. “That is, Elizabeth,we are married,” Her eyes grew and shot back to his hands again. She pulled back just slightly and he flinched at her response to his words. “Which is to say, you are safe. You are free from the charges against you, however unjust or fitting they were.” “-yes thank you for that.” Her tone was clipped and distrusting. He licked his lips and looked down. She hated him. And why not? He’d never given her anything she wanted and had in fact managed to ruin her chance at happiness with Will. “You owe me no thanks.” His eyes flicked up to hers. She still sat strait as a mast. This was worse than facing a court martial. His stomach began hardening and turning at the same time. “I will uphold my duties anyway, like any good English wife does.” Could she drive the saber through his heart anymore? “No,” He hoped his voice conveyed his disgust at the idea she would unwillingly force herself to do anything for him. Now she flinched. “That is, I will demand nothing from you-ever.” He sighed. “I only want your happiness Elizabeth, and I, I,” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I would like you to be free. I’m, I am-I have been a single man this long and though I am completely committed to you. You are under no obligation to stay with me. If you wish to be free and back on the seas. I, I-” He rubbed his legs then looked past her at the ship in the lagoon and his nostrils flared just a bit. She would prefer even Jack to himself wouldn’t she. No he would not cry before his new bride, however short a time he would have with her. “I will give you a note of passage with my signature and seal on it so you will neither be harmed by Naval officer nor pirate if he has any sense about him.” His eyes dropped to his hands which sat pale in his lap.

  
He was neither expecting nor aware of the slap till it connected with his cheek. He reeled a little, the world outside feeling a bit like his internal land of dizziness. The sting in his face insulted the shock in his heart. His eyes sought hers. “How dare you?” Her voice was cold and quiet. “What kind of man tells his bride, on their way home,from their wedding, to leave him? You really just wanted wife in name? What good would I be to you then? Am I so tarnished that the sight of me is yet so repulsive?” Her eyes held fire and fury. His mouth dropped open a little. She glared at him a moment jaw clenching and relaxing and clenching again. She turned her gaze back out the window the thick brush that had come up surrounding them was opening up to a lush green field. “I’m sorry what?” He leaned forward just ever so slightly. “James, I am your wife now. Like it or not I am staying with you. Clearly I will be logging on my own if you have a spare room it will do just fine. But I cannot go trampsing about like,” She glanced at him. “Well we both know what like, don’t we?”

  
She must have hit him harder than he realized. It hadn’t felt so but clearly he was dreaming. Was that his heartbeat thumping in his ear or had all of nature joined in a celebratory rhythm? But the look on her face brought him back to his senses. Again she was scowling out the small opening. She’d said she’d stay though! “Of course.” His voice was low once more, much closer to his normal range. “You are welcome to stay if you wish.” She cut a glance over to him and huffed quietly. What had he said now? He glanced out of his own window and suddenly the surroundings of the estate he had purchased was all about him. “This is it.” He murmured. It was spacious and secluded. Wide open fields surrounded by forest. The tall white buildings with gray and green trims stood before them. “Welcome to The Manor Resolute.” She didn’t look at him. “Did you name it?” “Yes.”

  
A moment later they were stopping before it. It felt vast to him, it’s pillars standing tall and strong. He had stayed at the fort when on shore but it had been years since he had been to his own childhood home, which seem much like this. Quickly he opened the door and bending stepped out before turning and offering her a hand. His skin tingled as her small hand slid into his. He shifted back on his feed as she stepped down beside him. “A moment.” He spoke under his breath. He turned to the coachman. “You may put those,” He pointed to the luggage. “In the first room on the left there is a bit of room in there for them.” “Admiral.” The man nodded leaping down and reaching for the little trunk. “Okay,” he turned around and she was thirty paces away, mid-field. Slowly he approached her. “Elizabeth?” He spoke quietly. “This must have cost a fair amount.” She whispered looking about. The sun was still high but heading toward the sea. Yes, the Admiralty couldn’t have come at a better time, for yet one more reason. “It’s my-our first-that is it’s our home.” Could he sound more like a bumbling idiot? “The price did not matter much.” She glanced at him her eyes relaying her disbelief.

  
The grasses rustled against his thighs. “Would you like to see the inside? I have the servants dismissed till Sunday next.” He looked at her and she shuttered. “I thought you would want to settle in and set everything to your own liking, but if you’d rather they be here sooner it is only a moment’s messenger and they will be here.” He amended quickly. “No it’s fine.” She assured and turned toward the manor. “Well then you’ll have to settle for me then,” He paused as the resounding greater truth hit him. “To be your guide I mean.” He could have hit himself. “Lead the way.” She sighed.

  
Off to the side the coach drove away and the manor stood dauntingly before them. This was it, their home. Their home. Maybe one day it would feel like a home. Perhaps one day she’d come to dislike him less, or possibly if he let himself hope, like him a little. After the moment’s pause taking in the manor he began toward the house he might someday call aloud a home. She followed to his side striding tall.

* * *

  
She stood in the entry chest heaving. This was it, the place she would be locked forever. Bound by duty and honor to Admiral James Norrington. The man who cared no more for her than the prestige her father’s position would bring to him. She was under no delusions that he had to pay a small fortune for this place, though it was no doubt an investment intended to return many times over by bringing his, most precious career to it’s peak and hold there till he retired-if he lived that long. He had come a long way again since she had found him in that gutter in Tortuga. He stood tall and proud seemingly untouched by the dark shadows of their entwining past. Clearly he was irritated that he would have to stoop to himself show her around but he had dismissed the staff for the week. No doubt he wanted to give the impression they had a normal marriage without having to actually be anywhere near her. He knew she was damaged before he married her. Her reputation must shockingly not have been tarnished enough to outweigh the benefits of being married to the governor’s daughter.

  
He had made it clear on the way here that he had not been interested in even living under the same roof. She was brought up with some dignity though and she would not let him cast her aside now. Why was the Pearl in the lagoon anyway? “-and this is the dinning room.” He was still talking to her. They past a doorway with a long table sitting orderly with matching chairs. This whole day had been such a blur. “That’s most of this floor. The bedrooms are upstairs if you would?” He offered a directing had to let her go first. “The bedroom at the end of the stairs there is yours. Mine is just here.” He stopped at it. “You are of course welcome to explore and search the place and grounds to your heart’s content and the stables are behind the manor and there is a horse there for you if you should need to go anywhere when I am not here, or when I am.” He added. “That’s it. Dinner is set up in the kitchen, I’ll set it up and when you’ve freshened up you are welcome to join me there, if you like.” She looked at herself, she must be a sight after such a long trying day. No man wants to see his bride even one he does not have any interest in looking worn and tired. “Thank you, I will only be a moment.” She assured him though her appetite was completely non existent. He nodded and began back down stairs. So this was her life. She sighed. All her adventures at sea. Her kingship on the tides. Her losing Will, first to the pirates, then to his father, then to the sea herself and finally to death and now only after all that to end up back here. Where she began-only now she was married to James a much more final state than their previous engagement.

  
She opened her door and stepped into the room. It was vast. A large fire place, a vanity and a posted bed. Hanging from the pillars around the bed, a white sheer fabric draped. A thick rug lay before the end of the bed and only now that she stood on it did she realize it was in fact a bear rug. James must have had it brought from England. The two great windows framed a windowed set of doors that opened to a balcony overlooking the front field and ultimately the ocean beyond. Shining down in warmth, the sun’s rays brought a touch of reality to her. James was not unkind, he maybe cold, but he was no tyrant and he had spared no expense, ulterior motives to impress visitors or no she was in want of nothing. Perhaps life here wouldn’t be so awful.

  
Speaking of James, he was no doubt waiting and even as patient as he clearly was,he had waited all this time to practically buy her; he was probably hungry and growing impatient so he might begin his dinner. At least he had made it clear he had no interest in her beyond sharing dinner. That did put her mind at ease. If James was anything, he was a man of his words. It maybe his undoing but he was an honest and truthful man. She washed quickly and changed into a simpler corset-less dress which was no easy task given the difficulty of unlacing one’s own corset, hook or no.

  
Numbly she reached for the door nob and paused, she took a deep breath. She’d faced the strangest of most unbelievable things at sea and off, dining with James Norrington, her husband, would not even make the top 15. Setting her shoulders, she took a deep breath and stepped out. This was her-their world now.


	3. Enjoy Your Life as it is Now

Quietly, Elizabeth makes her way down the stairs, mentally retracing the path to the dinning room. As she approaches it she swallows hard. Everything is quiet, too quiet for the room to be occupied. A quick glance around confirms her thought. Narrowing her eyes, she stood there a moment. _Where are you Norrington?_ From down the hall a clatter of metal answered her question. With a sigh she made her way toward the kitchen. There setting up the last of the silverware, Norrington stood, his dark hair brushed nicely and his blue evening coat fresh and clean.

  
“Elizabeth,” He glanced up at her. “That was swift.” He nodded and turned his gaze toward the table.

“If you would allow me?” He pulled her chair away from the table.

  
“Are we not eating in the dinning room?” She looked from his hands to the chair pausing before sitting.

“We could if you would prefer.” He nodded as he stepped over to his own chair next to hers. “Say the word,” He waited still standing. “I only thought we might be more practical in here as the food is here and there is no maid to fetch things.”

“Right,” She nodded. “This is fine. I have no quarrel with eating in the kitchen.” Her tone held flat. He was if anything practical, but she knew that already. She looked at the food before her as he sat down.

Cold ham, mashed potatoes, and a few rolls sat on table.

  
“I hope everything is to your liking, if there is anything in particular you would like for tomorrow all you need do is ask. I will do what I can to get what you want.” His deep calm voice broke the silence again. His strong posture matched his constant stoic attitude. Was he ever unsure of himself? Was he even aware of the impact his decisions made? She shook her head a bit.

  
“Is something amiss?” His left hand holding the knife rested easy against the edge of the table. With his fork mid air, he glanced quickly at her plate then the food on the table.

“No everything is fine, thank you Admiral.” She replied setting her napkin on her lap.

  
He went stiff, if that was possible for him. At last she’d struck a cord. “Elizabeth, you needn’t address me so formal. James is fine if you wish.”  
She could do that. It wasn’t so much. They would be together quite often no doubt when he was in town. _Admiral_ would get tiresome to say all the time.

“Very well.”

“Can you reach everything?” He looked her right in the eye.

She held his gaze a moment before she no longer could and she turned her attention to the food. “Yes, I believe I can.”

  
His plate, was still empty. With grace and precision, he sliced a piece of the ham off. Instead of placing it on his own plate he turned it toward her. Her hand stopped mid-reach for the rolls. She eyed him a second before lifting her plate to receive the meat. Searching her plate for an invisible answer her brows furrowed then released. Why was he making an effort for her? Yes, he had asked her to marry him, long ago before the arrangement that he somehow wrangled from her father. But he’d never really expressed interest in her other than wanting to have her hand, she assumed as some sort of trophy or power play. _What was he playing at? What did he want? He’d already offered to let her go and evidently had planned if she stayed, for them to have separate bedrooms. So what was it? He knew she had spent time with pirates, perhaps that was it. He wanted information, but would he go to the trouble of marrying her for it?_  
She glanced over at him.  
Maybe it was a double win. The power and the information. For the first time since she sat down she noticed the small object off to the side, just past his arm covered in cloth. He must have caught her looking at it, because he set his fork down and reached for it.

  
“Here, it’s not much, I just thought it might be a nice sort of welcome home, gift.” He handed it to her still under the small cover that lay over it.

  
Biting the inside of her bottom lip, Elizabeth rebuked herself as she felt the flush climbing her neck. Still he held it out to her. Slowly she reached for it.  
“Thank you Ad-James.”

  
“It’s not much.” He half shrugged but did not return to his food. It mattered to him. With a gentle grasp, she lifted the cloth from the object she held. There in her hand sat a leather -bound book. It held a large set of initials burned in it’s center, which she belatedly realized were her own now and an intricate pattern of stars in the upper corner. Staring blankly at it, she opened her mouth then closed it. As she flipped it open, she took in dozens of blank sheets.

  
“It’s for keeping notes in. If you wanted to keep track of your time at sea, or your thoughts, or life here.” He offered and rubbed his hand on his napkin.  
So he did want to know what she knew.

  
“This pattern of stars here, it’s what I look for every time I head back to the port. It’s how I know my way home.” He paused and his eyes flickered between her face and the book. For the first time since they got here and perhaps the first time since she’d met him, James looked uneasy.

“You could draw in it if you prefer that to writing.”  
Of course he was nervous he was worried she’d be on to him about this. Well she was on to him! But she wouldn’t let him know. She would take this odd little book and leave it on dresser in her room and when he came looking for it, he would find the same thing as he would get in return for this little Trojan horse-nothing.

“Thank you,” She spoke curtly and set it down.  
He frowned for the briefest moment and blinked rapidly a few times.

  
“Well if you would excuse me, I am tiered and would like to retire early, unless,” She forced a quiet pause for him to have time to object to her leaving.

“No of course you are weary. It’s been a long day. Please take your meal with you though in case you gain an appetite later.” He stood immediately.

“No need.” She waved at it. “I know my way back here if need be.”

“As you wish,” He nodded watching as she picked up the book.

 

“Oh Elizabeth?”

 

She stopped in the middle of the door way and looked back at him, her heart skipped a beat and clenched. Instantly, she sought his eyes. To her surprise he was nearly smiling-nearly. But his eyes, his eyes were sad.

  
“Have a good night.” He nodded twice in short jerky movements as if trying to reassure himself he was saying the right thing. _Why would he need reassurance?_

“Yes, you too James.”

  
With that she was gone. Heading quickly up the stairs to the solace of her room.

  
                                                                                                 

* * *

  
She set the book down with a thud on the dresser by her bed. She would not give him what he wanted. She would not reveal anything. Quietly she looked at herself in the mirror the dimming light from outside silhouetting her.  

This is not how she thought her wedding night would be, not in any of the scenarios she had naively imagined. Of course none of her dreams about this night had involved Admiral James Norrington at all. Her heart began to ache. For the first time since the wedding, she took a deep breath and let that reality sink in. She would never be here in this place in her life with Will. It was not to be. Curling into herself on her bed not bothering to change, she nuzzled into the pillow as silent tears slipped down her cheeks, echoing the storm within her.

 

                                                                                         

* * *

 

  
The next afternoon she was woke with a start at the sound of an ax meeting solid wood. _Hadn’t James said he had dismissed the staff for a week?_ Her eyes squeezed tighter shut. _It couldn’t be time to get up yet?_ Yet the sunshine in the window disagreed. As warm as it was, it was still not welcoming. Rolling over, she defied it a few minutes more, rejecting the notion that rising was the next logical step to the day. _Surely a bride was allowed to sleep in on her wedding week?_ Normally the reason was not crying half the night away longing for things she could not have. No, she really had no reason to stay in bed, she was awake and sleep how ever good a friend seemed to be avoiding her now.

             “Ugh” She huffed and threw the blankets and pillow away from her as she sat up. This is how things were now. Best to face it and move on. Taking a deep breath, she slid out of bed and walked to the mirror. Since her father had taken the time have her things moved here, she had everything she needed. With a rather ungraceful drop she sat in her seat before the dresser and picked up her brush. Across the dresser top sat all her things neatly set out and organized. It was rather surprising that her father, of all people had managed to organize her things so neatly in just such a way as was usable for her. Her brush sat handy off to the side a basin with a pitcher of water. Everything that she owned that could go in her hair was in a small chest between the mirror and the water basin. On the other side of the mirror sat her jewelry. Beside that she had been pleased to see a small dagger and tiny pistol. James certainly had not been in here since the dresser was arranged with her things, otherwise those surely would not be here.

  
             After settling on what she decided was a decent enough appearance, she headed down stars. _Where had Norrington gone?_ _More importantly what was there to eat?_ She descended the last step and quickly turned the tight hall that lead to the kitchen. Once she stepped into the room the smell of fruit and freshly baked bread hit her like a brick wall. Her stomach roared at her. Yeah eat first thing. Good plan. The kitchen was not huge. It held three counters one of which held a sink, and a bucket of water sat beside it. In the cabinet, she discovered were metal ship dishes. Practical. Sitting on the counter nearest the small table that they had eaten at the night before, a light blue checked cloth draped over what appeared to be a plate. She lifted the cloth and there sat an assortment of fruits and that bread sliced and waiting. Gulping, she walked to the cabinet where she had discovered the dishes and picked up a plate. Swiftly choosing what she wanted, Elizabeth sat down and not bothering with silverware began eating.

  
             Moments later a door swung open and closed with a gentle thud. Firm footsteps grew louder. Then in the doorway stood James shirt sweat stained and covered in gray and brown patches, splinters snagged in it. His hair dark and sweat slick hung wiled in every different direction. Dust covered his pants and clung to his skin. He strode right in his mind clearly somewhere else till suddenly he skidded midway through the room and froze. Then his head turned and she noticed the smudge marks across his face. He was hardly recognizable really. Almost like he’d looked that night so long ago in Tortuga, except without that horrible wig and thank God his hair was shorter. And now he had purpose and clarity and determination. There was no anchor-less ship here. The irony was not lost on her. Now it was her that couldn’t seem to find her way.  
Regardless here they were. He blinked a few times then glanced down at himself.

            “So much for the week off I see.”

  
He swallowed. “Yes well a farm won’t run itself.”

  
“Hmm.” She nodded letting her eyes scan his arms which were covered to the elbows and brandished a few bleeding cuts.

  
“Forgive me, this is no way to see your-” He caught himself and cleared his throat. “I had, that is I thought perhaps you would like to go a walk? I could show you around.”

She swallowed the fruit that had been all but forgotten between her teeth.

“Um,” Her mind raced, _what else could she be doing?_   “Sure.” She cringed inwardly.

“Very well, I’ll clean up and meet you in the garden. It’s out this door and around the corner.”

  
“Yes alright.”

 _What was his trying to do?_ He already has her. _What more does he want really? What does it even matter?_ Her food suddenly lost it’s appeal. She couldn’t even keep her shoulders from slumping.

                                                                                                 

* * *

  
               Jogging over to the small path that lead down to the private lagoon that had been one of the few reasons he most wanted this farm, James held his change of clothes and a bar of soap tucked under his arm. Ten minutes later, his bare feet dug into the last of the warm sand that lead to the partially wooden partially rock, sand and dirt trail that lead up to the manor and farm. Before long he was rushing along the side of the white paneling. Abruptly halting, he caught his breath then he rounded the corner running his fingers through his dripping hair. There she was slowly strolling by the long vines that grew up along the wall covered in purple flowers. Her fingers gently traced their edges as she past them.

  
                He squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. Without so much as hinting at surprise, she spoke while maintaining her inspection of the little flower.

“Ready then?”

Tipping his head slightly to the side, he nodded. Then he realized she could not see him. “Yes. If you are.”

“Let’s to it then.” She turned and her face blanker than a new sail. Something heavy settled within him.

                  This was a brig a dungeon to her. She would stay because it was her duty, but she would not thrive this way. It was his fault and now there was nothing he could do about it. He had hoped that the new day would bring new hope with it. But it seemed it was not to be this day.

                  He would die loving her, and she just may die hating him for it. _Well that’s melodramatic now isn’t it?_ Still it just may be true.

                  “Well then, if you would permit me?” He pointed the way they were to go without offering her his arm as she would probably reject it or awkwardly accept, wishing she’d rejected it. Just spare them both the discomfort.

                   For a while they walked in complete silence. Warmth rolled over them from the fields green and sea of wind blown tall grasses. Surrounding their rich field and house like centuries guarding their quiet world, the forest couched them in on every side. Their journey led them along the dirt path that he’d run earlier.

                   “Down here,” He stopped and walked to the edge where a small trodden trail forked off. “This is a path down to the beach.” He looked from it to her eyes which suddenly flashed a brightened before returning to their quietly accepting state. She _would_ be thrilled by the idea of the sea. The sea, like a siren’s call would surely steal her from him someday. His heart faltered a beat.

  
                   “Shall we head down or continue?” He set his shoulders firm and held his head high.

She glanced at the little trail, then the path ahead and finally at him.

                  “Might as well continue on our set course. I can explore the alternative routes _later.”_  
_Right._ His heart ached a little more than he’d expected it to at such a double meaning-even if she didn’t mean anything beyond what was applicable to the moment.

                   “Well then, it’s this way.” He pointed toward the path before them and they continued. Each step in silence making it clearer and clearer that she would tolerate him if only just that.

                   “Miss Elizabeth,” He glanced at her and she shot him a sideways glance but kept her pace. “Your father has asked to call on us Sunday.”

Her foot did skid even if it was only for a half misstep. “Does he?”

                    “Yes, if that is agreeable to you.” _Had they increased their speed?_ Here they were almost to the end of the path that was leading away from their field.

She held her silence. He lead them away from the path that turned road and onto the smaller one that wrapped around just inside the tree-line.

                    “That’s fine.”

                    She turned her head toward the middle of the field and he followed her line of sight to the tall old tree standing among the wheat. It was a thing of beauty growing strong but alone in the midst of the youthful new life that sprung up only weeks ago and would die again in a few months yet. _What had gotten into him?_ _Stick with the facts James._ He shook his head and they meandered a while longer.

  
                    As they neared the garden his chest began to ache. Why couldn’t he just move on? She clearly wanted nothing to do with him and yet they had to be here together. Could he have-stop thinking, just stop.

  
He huffed and then her eyes were wearily on him. “I beg your pardon.” He shook his head his voice as dull as he’d ever heard it. “I have to return to work in the field.”

He stopped and tilted his head. “Would you care to join me?”

  
Her eyes slightly squinted and she pursed her lips. “I’m sure you have quite enough bought hands to take care of the task. I think I shall find that little beach you spoke of earlier.”

  
His eyebrows dive towards each other before returning to their natural place. “Right, okay please enjoy your walk. I will see you at dinner.”

                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                 

* * *

 

 

                 After he’d left her with a curt bow, she looked out toward that lonely tree. She would go and have a closer look at that tree sometime this week. But for now the ocean at her fingertips was too much and she headed toward the path Norrington had shown her. He had been perfectly civil, showing her around the path of his property. _But then when had he ever not been civil?_ He was always immaculately polite. _Could that go on a list of good things though? Why did she even need a list?_ She groaned at herself and rolled her eyes. “Do shut up Elizabeth!” She wined at herself and picked up her speed to a jog.

  
                As she slipped through the brush and leapt down the path, she found the small beach he had mentioned. It was completely secluded by tall mountains with thick brush forming a private hidden cove. It just might have been her new favorite place. Warm sand seeped through her toes and welcoming sunshine beat down upon her tan skin. Washing up with a therapeutic gray noise, the waves climbed the shore and slid back into their never ending proper place. Her shoulders slumped at the thought. _Would she forever be like those waves? Longing for more, and yet always being forced back where it was thought she belonged?_ Never mind, she would not let those thoughts shadow the small patch sunlight that pierced through to her right now as she walked toward the waters.

  
              Vibrant colors glowed from every direction, variegating greens of the brush, bright yellow sunlight, deep blues and turquoises of the sea, golden sand pale blue skies. Sinking into the sand as she reached the middle of the beach, Elizabeth breathed deeply and let her eyes drift closed. She yet had several hours before she would need to be in for dinner which she had decided would be the one time she would deliberately make an effort to sit with Norrington. She could do that much. He at least went to the effort of fixing it.This place echoed safety and her spirit was set at ease as she slipped off to sleep.

              After he’d left her with a curt bow, she looked out toward that lonely tree. She would go and have a closer look at that tree sometime this week. But for now the ocean at her fingertips was too much and she headed toward the path Norrington had shown her. He had been perfectly civil, showing her around the path of his property. But then when had he ever not been civil? He was always immaculately polite. Could that go on a list of good things though? Why did she even need a list? She groaned at herself and rolled her eyes. “Do shut up Elizabeth!” She wined at herself and picked up her speed to a jog.

  
               As she slipped through the brush and leapt down the path, she found the small beach he had mentioned. It was completely secluded by tall mountains with thick brush forming a private hidden cove. It just might have been her new favorite place. Warm sand seeped through her toes and welcoming sunshine beat down upon her tan skin. Washing up with a therapeutic gray noise, the waves climbed the shore and slid back into their never ending proper place. Her shoulders slumped at the thought. Would she forever be like those waves? Longing for more, and yet always being forced back where it was thought she belonged? Never mind, she would not let those thoughts shadow the small patch sunlight that pierced through to her right now as she walked toward the waters.

  
              Vibrant colors glowed from every direction, variegating greens of the brush, bright yellow sunlight, deep blues and turquoises of the sea, golden sand pale blue skies. Sinking into the sand as she reached the middle of the beach, Elizabeth breathed deeply and let her eyes drift closed. She yet had several hours before she would need to be in for dinner which she had decided would be the one time she would deliberately make an effort to sit with Norrington. She could do that much. He at least went to the effort of fixing it. This place echoed safety and her spirit was set at ease as she slipped off to sleep.

  
               By early evening she was walking into the kitchen, sunburned and sandy. Her hair windblown. As usual he stood there beside her chair waiting for her. When he glanced at her his eyes seemed to catch and trail down her arm. He sighed and walked over to the sink where the water bucket sat. Standing before it he reached up and pulled a cup from the cabinet. Filling it with cold water, he pulled out a drawer and lifted a cloth from it. Silently he returned to her. She watched, her eyes never leaving his movements.

  
               “Here,” He reached out and poured a little water onto the cloth. “If you lay this on your skin, the water will heal the burns.” He handed it to her. “It will take some time but, it will still heal faster than if you leave them alone.” Then he set the water next to her place at the table.

  
Still watching him, she took the towel. He was already on the next task of serving them up.

                “Let me know if there’s anything you’d rather not have or want more of.” He continued without looking back at her.

                This was just not like him. Going out of his way to help her. Well perhaps that was unfair, he had shown her around the property. She noted the white shirt and dark pants again that he was wearing. _Had he ever dressed so practically? Ever?_ His hair still wig-less was this time combed into place neatly to the side. She shook her head and focused on her task. Setting the cold wet cloth on her arm, she hissed at the reaction her skin had to it. After it stopped feeling like it was increasing in heat though, it did begin to feel better and she began to wish she had a bigger cloth to cover more of her arm.

  
                 She sat down and belatedly realized he was waiting for her to as he immediately sat as well.

                 “Thank you,” She whispered her tone unsure.

He stopped, serving spoon full of food in hand and looked at her. “You’re very welcome.”  
He spilled the potatoes onto her plate. “If you let it sit for a while, then add new water and move the cloth up your arm it will work better. Or at least feel better as it’s working.”  
Then he returned his focus to serving.

                                                                                                   

* * *

 

              Over the next few days things stayed pretty much the same, James would work and Elizabeth would find herself wandering the grounds and doing as little as possible to actually accept her life here. They would eat together-dinner at least. Then they would part for bed where she would toss and turn till sleep finally caught up with her and then the whole process would begin again. At least he never made a move on her. That was nice. He seemed to respect her disinterest in him enough to give her space. It might not last forever but while it did she could be glad somewhat for that.

  
               But by the fourth day the routine was getting to her. She was going to go mad from the lack of any sort of challenge or adventure for her mind. Each day she had begun by sitting on her balcony till she could hear him out working or it had been what she would guess was long enough for him to decide to eat alone then she’d meander down and get some food which he would leave out for her. Then she’d wander to the middle of the field find that tree, sit beside it, wait till midday before heading down to the beach-only she was more mindful to stay in the shade more now. At least there was church on Sunday and that meant they’d be going to town which would inevitably give her something unexpected to look forward to.

  
              Their outing had proved to be less than she’d hoped as they’d barely spent any time in town, since all the shops were closed it being Sunday and all. The ride back had been a echo of their first trip to their new house only this time it was completely silent. Once they arrived back home she’d barely wasted a moment before racing up to her room to prepare for her father’s coming.

                                                                                                   

* * *

 

              As James headed up to his room to retrieve his book, a deep groan escaped the doorway of Elizabeth’s room. He halted before his door and listened. A few choice words echoed. His eyebrow shot up and despite himself the right corner of his lip turned up ever so much. What had she gotten herself into? Quickly he stepped toward her door. Then he stopped. She may not want him intruding. But then again she might need his help. With a half shrug he continued on till he stood by her door. It was cracked open but just barely.

  
Taking a deep breath, he gently knocked on the frame.

             “Miss Elizabeth?”

“Yes James?” She sighed. He could just imagine her hand on her hip and her eyes barely refraining from rolling.  
           

            “I couldn’t help but hear you from the hall.” He kept his voice low and looked at his feet. These open rooms carried nearly every sound in the most inconvenient way.

“Are you alright?”

  
“I am just fine.” She huffed and the door swung open. “I can’t say the same for my pearl earring however.”

             She stood there dressed in a simple soft green dress, not the image of a British society lady but just her at the pentacle of her own natural beauty. Her hair down and pulled back loosely on the sides. His brow shifted upward and he swallowed hard before he could stop himself. Blinking a few times, he quickly licked his lips and focused on her eyes. His gaze flicking for half a second to note that only one of her ears were adorned with a dangling white pearl. His mind raced a second with possible options. _Was this something only a woman could do? Or might he actually be able to help?_ Only one way to know for sure.

            “May I offer my assistance?”

Her eyes fell closed, her right eyebrow jumped briefly, and she left her mouth half open as she jerked her chin in a short sideways movement. Wrong option then. He pressed his lips together and stepped back. Then still not having opened her eyes she gave a few quick nods.

            “Yes that would be nice, thank you James.” She opened her eyes and captured his in a powerful force he could neither deny nor escape.

His sudden lightness collided with his abruptly frozen train of thought.

_Right,wait what?_

His eyes narrowed and searched hers. Then it hit him.

“Yes, with what exactly. I confess my knowledge of women’s jewelry is quiet limited.” He rubbed the back of his neck and she almost smiled at him.

              “Well how’s your strength?” She asked and looked from him to the great oak dresser that stood against the wall and back to him.

  
His brows knit together then leapt back to their natural places.

              “I managed to drop the stupid thing behind the dresser. Don’t ask me how. I don’t even think I could explain it. But the heavy thing won’t budge.” She laid her fingertips on the edge of the dark wood.

  
               He nodded. “Shouldn’t be an issue.”  
He stepped into the room and glanced at the outline of the furniture. Giving it a light tug, he assessed the weight against his arms. It was no light piece of junk. It was genuine and genuinely heavy. He nodded as he stepped back for a moment and looked to the bottom. It was solid wood to the floor not lifted on legs; which now would have been helpful. _Why hadn’t he considered such a situation before he bought the thing?_ No matter, he was here now.

  
              “Do you know if it landed closer to one side or the other?” He glanced at her.

“I couldn’t say. I think it went right down the middle to be honest.” She grimaced and twisted her wrist with her right hand.

_Right, well then._

              “Alright, I’ll lift it and pull it a bit and see if we can get it away enough to reach back behind and grab it.”

  
He unbuttoned his sleeve cuffs rolling them to his elbows. Bending, he slipped his fingers between the back of the dresser on the side and the wall. Slowly increasing his force he pulled on it. The bureau slid little by little. Then it caught on something and refused to budge another inch. He huffed a breath he had been holding while straining to move the dresser which now sat about four inches from the wall. Enough to see behind but not quite enough to reach the now visible earring.

  
                 “Here,” He got down and lay on his back beside it.

“Should we call a servant?” She offered watching him lower himself down till his head rubbed against the wall.

                 “Nonsense,no need to trouble them when I am perfectly capable of helping here.” He continued to flatten against the floor and look down the small space behind the dresser. With his knees bent he rolled to his side and gripped the bottom of the heavy object. Flexing he pushed it up till it was above his body and then he slipped under it. Resting the edge against his chest and arm, he slid his arm under it and reached for the pearl. The piece of furniture pressed deeply against him. Forcing a breath out, he drew one back in just as quickly. As his fingers touch the delicate object, he grunted.  
                 “There it is. Come on you.” He flipped his hand over so he could grasp it. She giggled lightly and he looked up at her. “This funny to you?”

“No of course not.” She amended suppressing the edges of her lips. “Perhaps I could help you?” She leaned forward and rested her hand on the edge of the dresser accidentally pressing it into his leg, which until that second he hadn’t realized was under the corner of it. Pain shot through his inner thigh.

                 “Ahh!” He gasped.

“Sorry, sorry!” She jumped back with a light thud.

                 “It’s alright, just here don’t move.” He assured her and the pearl slipped and he jerked forward without thinking to reclaim it. In his effort he dug his neck into the corner of the wood. A few moments later he slipped his arm out from under the dresser and lowered it to the ground. Just as he nearly had his hand out though his collar button caught on the lip of the wood and while it held the fabric it still managed to tear.  
Breathing deeply, he hulled himself up and handed her the retrieved treasure.

                 “There you are, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Thank you. And please, just call me Elizabeth.” Her fingers clasped over the earring.

                 “What have you done to your neck?” She leaned forward and gently touched his heated skin. His pulse quickened.

“It’s nothing, I only-please it’s fine.” He stiffened and reached up to cover the spot just as she lowered her gaze to the tear in his shirt.

                 “And this tore as well?” She shook her head. “All for some-”

“-it was my pleasure really.” He nodded and turned to slide the dresser back in place. His now jerky movements lacked proper restraint as he shoved the dresser back into place with a slight thud. He reached up and ran his fingers through his now messy and sweaty dark hair. Limping out of her room, he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. That leg would bruise no doubt. Perhaps he should have accepted help.

  
                  “Alright well I really should clean up, I have worked up a sweat,” He ran his hand down the back of his neck. “and your father is sure,” he paused as he glanced down over the railed siding of the walk to the entry way below where both his father-in-law and the maid stood mid entry in silence both looking up at him a little pale. “-to be here.” He finished lowering his volume as he nodded. “Sir.” He set his tone firm and rolled his sleeves down. “Forgive me, I need a moment.” He glanced down at himself I’ll be right with you.” He assured the governor.  
  
                  As he spoke Elizabeth’s voice drew his attention. “He’s here?”

“Yes.”

                 “Tell him I’ll be right down.”

James glanced once more at her and he closed the door. “She’ll be right down, shouldn’t be a moment.”

“No rush.” The governor shook his head and his he reached up and gently rubbed his ear.

“Thank you.” His brows furrowed at the governor’s response but he shrugged as fought to swallow down a sudden laugh tried to escape his throat. Did she smile at him? He shook his head and shoved the bubbling energy in his chest away from himself and tried to ignore the tender muscles in his leg as he forced himself to walk mostly normal to his room.

                                                                                                 

* * *

 

  
Ten minutes later, Elizabeth sat with her father in the small garden outside their house over a few cups of tea.

                “So you and Admiral Norrington seem to be doing well.” Her father commented a hint of color reaching his cheeks.

 _Was the sun getting to him?_ She cleared her throat.

“We’re fine as can be expected given the circumstances.” She shrugged she still had not quite forgiven her father for forcing her into this marriage.

                “Hmm. Yes, well don’t give him too hard a time Elizabeth. He may not be as dashing as some men,” He shot her a knowing glance. “but he is a good man. He has your best in mind.” He brought the cup to his lips and sipped it his eyes flickering past her toward the house.

“Perhaps he should have had my best in mind before he sought my hand behind my back.”

                “Elizabeth,”

She tilted her chin and gazed off into the distance. “When he knew I had no interest in him.”

                 He sighed and reached forward. “Elizabeth,” His hand covered hers.

From somewhere behind her, James cleared his throat respectfully before he came into earshot.

                “Ah, Admiral.” The governor’s eyes brightened and he smiled. “Please join us, we were just talking about you.”

James paled a little as he glanced from her father to their joined hands.

  
               “Ah, well perhaps I should come back in a while.” He offered stepping back and giving her father a quick nod before bowing to her.

“Nonsense, you are always welcome.” Her father waved but Elizabeth could not help but keep her eyes fixed on their hands.

               “No I beg your pardon, I actually had some work to finish this afternoon that I was unable to attend as I had something of more importance to occupy myself with for a bit.” He replied standing firm. If there was once thing she could give James credit for it was that he was firm. When he was decided on the right course there was not dissuading him. Her father squeezed her hand briefly. _What was he getting at?_

He stepped away. “I will join you for dinner. Please enjoy your afternoon.” As he walked away she lifted her eyes and followed his departure. He still held just a small hitch in his gate from that accident with the dresser.

  
              “You are not too difficult on him I hope.” Her father seemed oddly embarrassed.

“No more than he has earned Father.” Her eyes flashed back up to him.

He looked back down at his tea and seem suddenly seeming thirsty.

               “How are you settling in otherwise?” He changed the subject.  
  
She sighed and sat a little taller. “Just fine thank you."

               “Will we be seeing you in town anytime soon?”

“I don’t know, I’m still adjusting to life here. It is at least peaceful and quiet-well mostly.” She settled into her chair more.

“Elizabeth, you should try to enjoy your life as it is now without looking back or holding back. You never know you might come to prefer it to the what ifs your mind may fancy.”  
 With that he stood.

“Perhaps you might show me around before we convene for dinner.”

 


	4. Stay Safe and Fare Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Knockout again for the idea with the swing! It morphed organically into the entire chapter nearly!  
> Enjoy!

James watched as Elizabeth sat beside the old tree. It had only taken her an hour to end up there today. Normally she would spend a considerable amount of time down at the beach, after she had sat the morning away on her balcony. Not that he was keeping track. As he stood by the corner of the manor, he sighed deeply. Sagging, his shoulders slumped as he landed against the building. Quietly he crossed his arms against his chest. He could watch her for hours. But she wasn’t happy, she was a proverbial swan trapped in a yard, wings cut and longing to be free. Wishing she could be feeling the wind at her back, perhaps on the bow of a ship, rocking back and forth as the vessel cut through the waters below. Then it hit him like a low unseen beam in the sleeping quarters of a ship. A swing! That low branch on the tree would be perfect! He could have it up and she could sway back and forth even in her waves of green reeds.

Turning, he jogged toward the small grouping of buildings behind the manor and across from the small pond. He would have it done today!

“Joseph!” He called as he walked into the dark barn-like structure.

“Sir?” A man in his mid forties stepped out of one of the horse stalls.

“Joseph, I need the strongest piece of wood we have here, about this long.” He held his hands a little wider than his shoulders.

“Yes sir.” The man nodded and ducked to place the pitch fork along the side of the stall he was cleaning.

“Oh and some rope.” James pointed with his right hand after the man while his left rested on his hip. Then rubbing his chin his eyes darted back and forth on the ground racing with his thoughts. _How long would the rope need to be? How high was that branch anyway? Furthermore what knot would he need for the connecting the rope to the seat? While he was at it he might as well carve her name in the tree beside it. That would be lovely._

“-would you be needing sir?” He looked down at the shorter man. In one hand he held a large oak board and over his other arm a coil of rope.

“Sir?”

"Pardon me Joseph,” James took the board and held it up. “What was your question?” He looked at the board, it was dark heavy, wide and thick. _Perfect._

“I was askin’ sir, how long a rope was it you needed?”

“I honestly don’t know. How tall do you think that tree is out in the middle of the front field there?”

“The whole tree sir? I couldn’t say.”

“No sorry,” He needed to take a second. “The lowest branch.”

“I couldn’t say,” Joseph looked down a moment. “I, I don’t much understand numbers like that.”

“This should be good. I would think.” James shrugged and then paused and looked at Joseph. “Is it number that trouble you? Or do you not understand it because you haven’t been taught?”

The man fiddled with his shirt sleeve and scuffled his shoe in the dirt a moment.

“No sir I’m not.” He looked from James’ shoes and slowly his eyes climbed up to James’ chest, going no higher. “Taught that is.”

James knew before the man spoke, it wasn’t hard to see the way the man felt in that moment. “Look, Joseph, if you or any of the rest who work here want to learn, you only need ask. Education is not something that should be withheld from anyone, I don’t care what society thinks.”

Joseph’s eyes widened then he licked his lips and opened them. After a second he closed them again.

“Sir but I have my work to do and won’t it cause an uproar.” His eyes flicked to Jame’s face but did not connect with his eyes.

“You can do both and I already said it doesn’t matter what the others think. I don’t make offers I don’t mean to go through with.” James kept his voice down and lowered the now forgotten objects in his hands to his sides.

“What about for my boy instead?” Joseph shifted.

“What about for you both, and all the others? Like I said.” James leaned could finally make him out better, now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

“If you think it’s best sir.” Joseph swallowed.

“Perfect, first thing next week it is. I will see who we have available here in Port Royal. Now for my next order of business.” James looked up and across the hall. “I want a window put in the center of that wall. One put in the center of that wall.” He turned and looked down the other way. I want one in that stall.” He twisted and faced the wall with the front door. “And one right here. It’s much too dark in here to be well workable.” He nodded at his own decision. “Bring three others in here to help you and if you need more let me know.”

Joseph stood silent till it seemed he remembered he had a tongue. He rocked forward a jot and coughed. “Sir, thank you, and four of us should be just fine. Thank you sir.”

James looked at him.

“Thank you for finding this so quickly Joseph.”

He turned and walked away with his new project tucked safely under his arms. By the time he reached the field he was able to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth’s back as she started the descent to the beach. This day could not have worked out better if he had ordered it special. Quickly he made his way to the small open area that surrounded the tree. With one end of the rope secured in one hand, he tossed it over the thick limb. This particular tree was covered in dark bark with deep crevasses between each interlocking piece. It was a strong old thing. As the rope fell back toward him, now draped over the limb he gave it a firm tug, then grasping higher lifted himself up by the ropes. It held his weight as though he was nothing more than a dried leaf.

It would hold her no problem.

Gathering it into a bunch, he threw it over the tree once more to give it firmer hold on the limb. Lowering himself to the ground, he set to tying the rope to the board which he balanced on his knee. A couple of bowlines would do just fine here. This way if she didn’t like the hight then he could always adjust it easily for her. Once he finished he drew his small dagger from his boot. Back and forth he drew the blade against the rope till finally it gave way little by little and dropped away as it severed completely. Now hopefully there would be enough for the other side. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward and hulled himself up. Grasping the bunch of rope left he repeated his first process with just enough if not a little extra left to finish the second side. He stepped back and scanned all the knots before giving it a little shove. Easily it rocked back and forth. He looked up to the top again where it attached to the tree and gave it one last tug. Without bending, the limb held firmly. _If more things in life were but a little like this tree._ He sighed and turned to manor. Now if only Elizabeth could avoid looking this way on her way back.

He’d only been in his study for a few minutes when the door creaked downstairs. Mummers waft up through his open door but not enough to understand. His leg twitched. Running down to find out if she had seen it was not the way to handle this. He could wait till she told him herself. Lifting the folded letter up, he reread it. He would be heading back to sea in six weeks. With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes and leaned into his palms. Sooner or later he did have to go back. Normally that would bring him much comfort and peace. His responsibilities and duty were always something he valued. Now though, his responsibilities were torn and his desire pulled in opposite directions split by his two great loves his country and his-Elizabeth. Elizabeth, that’s right he did need to find Joseph before dinner and make sure that he had what he would need to head back out that night and carve her name in the tree. With that he stood, Joseph would still be in the barn no doubt.

As James made his way down the stares, the sound of Elizabeth humming to herself drifted over to him from the drawing room. Inhaling deeply, he let the sound wash over him as he continued to the door. He would never grow tired of hearing her around. Even  if she was half humming half singing that old pirate anthem under her breath. Somehow she just lit a room even an empty one when she was in it. Even now as she sat alone in that cold room she warmed the whole house with her presence and it was unlikely that she even knew it. Perhaps one day he could tell her so. One day when she would be open to hearing it.

He made his way to the barn where a partial hole was cut in the wall. Four men stood around it two supporting the partially disconnected center of the wood that was to be fully removed. The other two held saws and worked tirelessly cutting away at the siding. One of them noticed him and spoke to the others. At that all progress ceased.

“This is looking quite underway. Good work men.” He looked it. “Be sure to cover all the rough edges when you finish. Give it a nice frame and a door to close when the wet season comes or even the evening.

“Yes sir.” Their response was in unison.

“Men, I’ve only owned this a few weeks. You’ve only been here a few days. But you need to know that I expect nothing but well done work.” He looked at each of them.

“Yes sir.” Again at the same time.

“That is not to say I’m not unfair or too demanding. I want to focus on efficiency and productivity. If there is something that can help you do your tasks better and it makes sense I will not hesitate to implement the required, tool, process, or the like into the budget. Do your work well and you will receive what you’ve earned.”

One of them, a younger man glanced up and dared to make eye contact with him. James nodded at him with a hint of a smile pulling at his lip. It was good to see the boy’s spirit had not been dampened. He gave him a short nod.

“Now, Joseph, if I could speak with you a minute.”

The man jumped and set down his saw and he quickly moved closer to James.

“Sir?”

“Tonight perhaps after it is dark, I intend to be in the field by the old tree again. I will need you there with a torch as I will need to see what I am doing. As well as a set of woodworking knives. Whatever we have will do. I plan to have this finished tonight.” James considered his plan. “Wait for me outside the kitchen after dinner. I shall be out as soon as I have spoken with Miss Elizabeth.”

“Yes sir.” The man waited.

“Thank you Joseph, that will be all.” With that he headed back to the house.

Dinner would be in only a short while, he needed to clean up.

 

                                                                                         

* * *

 

By the time he stepped into the dinning room where they had been eating since the servants were back, Elizabeth was already seated at the table. He cringed inwardly.

“Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth, I do hope you were not waiting too long.” He eased himself into his chair.

“Yes I’ve been here for two whole minutes, it’s yet five minutes before meal time and dinner is not yet served. I should be outraged at your tardiness, but perhaps if you give me your word never to repeat such an act perhaps I can forgive you this once.” She looked across at him for the briefest of moments before straightening her dress with her palms.

“Yes of cou-” The words were out before he much had the time to process what she’d actually said. Then they caught mid air as he noted the tiniest of smirks on her face. If he hadn’t looked at her at that moment he would have missed it. _Was she teasing him? Would she tease him?_

“There for a second you had me worried you in fact had no sense of humor at all James.”

He couldn’t even finish his train of thought as her words cut him off again. He let out a shaky breath. “Well that makes two of us then.” He set his napkin on his lap. “For being worried I mean.”

She smirked again. _What had changed her? Why would she had she seen the swing? Oh yes the swing. He needed to know what name she preferred before he set to putting her name on both it and the tree itself._

“Listen, Miss Elizabeth,”

“-how many times do I have to tell you James, it’s-” She paused and her eyes fell to the table. They clouded for a moment and she swallowed as if a storm had suddenly come over her.

He leaned forward then he shook his head as she seemed decided on not finishing. “That is I was wondering if you preferred Elizabeth, or Lizzy or Beth, or some other name to be called?” His voice trailed off as she looked up at him and a small tear slipped down one of her cheeks. His eyes grew.

“Have I said something to upset you?” He reached into his pocket and handed her the kerchief he kept.

“Thank you,” She took it and dabbed her eye. “And no you are perfectly fine.”

Her words were honest, he could see that in her eyes. But something was upsetting her. “Can I offer you some water? Or wine or brandy?” He glanced at the cabinet opposite them, against the wall where the liquor was kept.

“Water would be lovely thank you.” She replied as she reached to hand him back his kerchief.

“Please keep it. I have more. You might need it.” He poured the water from the pitcher that was sitting on the table. “Thank you, and either Elizabeth or Lizzy is fine.” She cleared her throat. Then she set her shoulders as if to take a blow. “You need not call me ‘Miss’ anymore. We are after all married.”

His brow shifted backward at the words. “Here.” He handed her the water.

“Thank you.”

“Elizabeth,” He licked his lip as she drank. Suddenly his own throat was dry and he poured himself some water. Just then a servant walked in carrying a plate full of steaming food. His words died unspoken. There would be time to tell her in private. The woman wore a simple white dress with green trim and a plain cap. Silently she set the tray on the middle of the table.

“Thank you Ester. This is quite lovely.” He looked up at her from his seat.

“Thank you sir.” Ester smiled. The gray in her hair peppered the dark thick locks which were all tied neatly back. With a short bow she disappeared into the shadowed hallway.

“No more having to eat my cooking.” He smiled as he scooped a spilling pile of rice and what looked like shellfish from the platter as he grasped her plate and brought it closer to serve her up.

She watched him in silence, her eyes attentive and her head cocked to the side. “Your cooking wasn’t so bad.” She spoke quietly and blinked a few times and lifted her fork pushing at the food now piled on her plate. He barely cracked a semi-grin but his heart soared.

“Careful there, Elizabeth, that almost sounded like a complement, good thing I know better.”

Her eyes flashed up at him. Her cheeks flared with color for breath’s length before turning back normal. “Yes good thing you know better.” She sighed and leaned forward to blow on the food she had forked.

As soon as dinner was over, he would be out there working on that tree. She had only to contemplate a desire and he knew he would go to the end of the world to fetch it for her. Hopefully she would like that small gift.Glancing over at her, he swallowed. Her raw strait-forward appearance alone with her sharp features and warm eyes surpassed any of the ladies he’d ever met! And that was only what she looked like. The person she was so entrancing. Her whit, glow and courage. He needed to stay focused. His, deep in thought blurred vision came into focus. Suddenly he realized she was staring at him. Coughing, he broke eye contact with her.

“Forgive me, that was ungentlemanly.” He took a drink and tried to catch his breath. “It’s rude enough to leave into ones own thoughts while at dinner let alone stare while doing it.”

She shook her head and shrugged. “No apology necessary.” She glanced at his hands no longer willing to make eye contact. “I know you disappear within yourself sometimes.”

“Yes I do.” He nodded. _Never so often as I do when you’re around_. “But that is no excuse I owe you better than that.”

“Well that’s true.” She simpered once more at her plate and he shifted in his chair and looked down. Just when things were going so well, he just had to go and mess the whole thing up. _Well done James, well done._ He would have plenty of time to work on that swing then.

                                                                                                   

* * *

 

“So what is it you do out here exactly?”

His head whipped up at the sound of her voice. She had found him in the back field where he had spent his morning from sunup.

  
“I, well I work in the fields, checking for cops that are having trouble, helping the weak ones in need of a little support.” He shifted around toward her as she neared him, his knee twisting into the mud to balance him. His shirt was unbuttoned from mid-chest and he was splotched here and their with mud and green plant stains. From where he sat on his heel, she was a few feet above him. "They're mostly fine but need a little direction and protection." 

  
“I see,” She continued till she stood a foot or so from him. “So I am thinking, since this is what we do here now,” Her eyes scanned over the field. “Perhaps it’s high time you show me how this whole thing works.”

  
Openly staring at her, he cocked one eyebrow and absently scratched some of the drying mud caked on his elbow. “Are you certain?” He couldn’t keep the slowness of his voice.

“Yes well you won’t be able to look out for the farm while you’re at sea so I do need to learn it. And besides I am tired of the boredom that has grown around me. So yes, teach me James I am ready to learn.” Tentatively she reached out and touched a tall reed.

  
Slowly he rose to his feet. As he now stood towering over her, he took a deep breath and looked around. “Very well, I’m happy to teach you. The previous owner left it a bit wild"  His  eyes fell down on her. "and uncared for.”

  
She stood tall beside him unfazed.

“So this here is a cotton. The crops out before the manor are wheat.” He turned toward the barn where the men were still working on the windows. “That there is the barn. There are 10 men that work the fields here. They and their families live in those houses nestled there.”

He pointed to a huddled clump of homes nestled in the trees.

“There’s an open area there.”

He pointed to the grassy field that lay beside the homes.

“We don’t grow anything there and the goats the few cows we have graze there mostly.”

He turned back toward the house.

“Obviously you’ve seen the pond where we collect the water from all our rains. We use that water when or rather if there is ever a lack of water to keep the crops wet.” He stepped close to her and her eyes shot up to his.

“Pardon me.” He stepped around her. “Come I’ll show you the barn.”

  
“You know this isn’t normal, right?” She asked as she followed him.

  
“What do you mean?” He continued forward.

  
“You spending so much time out here like this. This is normally just the slave’s work and the master of the home has a slave master that reports to him.”

  
Ah that, yes well he didn’t much care for the way society worked. He knew what was right and productive and the system he had in place seemed to be holding up just fine, as the sky had yet to fall on him, he’d probably just continue as he had begun.

  
“Yes well sometimes society gets a thing or two wrong.” He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

“Sometimes?” She didn’t bother with the tact.

  
“Often then.” He offered and halted his stride as he spotted a plant fallen into the path. Bending down, he gently lifted the small green new life and placed it alongside the others still standing tall. Then taking a string from his pouch, he tied it in place.

"Alright, who are you and what have you done with Admiral Norrington?" 

He chuckled continuing his work.

"Madam," His tone was so light it surprised even him. "I'm James,  your humble servant as always." He smiled to himself.  "Though in truth, this is who I've always been. I'm afraid I don't change much  or very often."

  
She was silent behind him which hopefully was a good sign that she had not run out of patience with him on his tedious endeavor. This was why he was out here though and he might as well show her what she was in for.

“So sometimes these little things get knocked over by the rain or the dew grows too heavy on them so they toppled over like this.” He half turned to get his shoulder out of the way. Without hesitation she moved closer and knelt down beside him.

“I see.” She nodded and watched attentively.

He swallowed and as soon as the plant was stabilized he shot up to his feet. She swayed back to miss being struck by his elbow.

“Apologies, I had not meant for you to,” He shook his head.

“It’s alright,” She shook the mud off her wrist and hand and he grimaced internally.

They continued and a yards later another plant lay across their way.

“It seems odd,” She spoke beside him as they both knelt to care for this one. “That so many would be down on the path you have already taken.”

“No, I,” He paused as she leaned in to give him a hand as the little plant would not stay where it belonged. "I ha-had come up the other side of this bunch and am coming back down this lane to save time in the overall plan."

  
“The overall plan? Hmm…seems so far away. I hardly ever bother with long plans. Better to enjoy the moment.” She pushed it up again as it slid down seeming to have a mind of it’s own. “Stubborn little thing isn’t it?”

“Sometimes they just-” His breath caught when she brushed his arm with her side and one of her hands snaked between his to get a better hold on it. Truth be told it might be just too much help for one little plant. “Sometimes they just need a little extra care and love.” He shrugged and forced himself not to side-shuffle to put more space between them.

  
“I have to say, _that is odd_ coming from you.” She nudged him and he nearly splashed mud on her as he went down. He wasn’t that far from the ground to begin with but his acute senses and suddenly sensitive skin paired with his precarious perch on his heels couldn’t seem to take her being so close. If she’d have breathed heavily on his arm he might have fallen. As it was he sat in the mud heart pounding. One glance at her and she lost it doubling over laughing. _This could not be happening! He’d done it this time._

  
“I’m sorry James, really I am. I had no idea you were so unbalanced.” She choked out between bursts of laughter. “For a seaman you-”

He didn’t like where that was going. His lip twitched. His body temperature seemed to jump and he couldn’t deny the way her laughter made his knees, which fortunately were not required to hold him up at this moment, go weak. Before she could finish, he grasped the mud tighter in his hands and flung it at her. Her breath caught and her laughter died a sudden death as she glanced down at her shirt now with a splotch of dark amid the afore perfectly pale yellow. Her arms hung wide in a manner that matched her gaping face.

  
His mouth went dry and he forced himself to take deep breaths to keep from giving up on air altogether. Her eyes slowly dragged back to meet his and he swallowed again.

“Elizabeth I-”

  
“-not a word James Norrington.” She scraped the still clinging mud from her abdomen and began to stalk by him.

Falling forward, his head sagged as his eyes closed and his heart dropped from that place it had so readily soared to only a moment ago. Then his head suddenly felt wet. A sopping warm thick substance oozed down through his hair. His head whipped around to find her grinning at him, another handful of mud ready to let fly.

  
“You will not ruin the first moment of pure entertainment I have had since coming here, with your most sincere and unnecessary apologies.” Her voice carried threateningly though without vile.

  
He flipped over and scooped from the puddle he sat in, splashing her profusely in tainted rain. She squealed and leapt back haphazardly tossing her stash of mud at him and missing near completely.

  
Rising to his knees, he paddled the more water than dirt mud at her. Turning, she sprinted away. He was on his feet in chasing after her in less time than it took to consider his options. While he raced toward her, it suddenly struck him that she was quite fast. He would actually have to speed up if he really wanted to catch her which for a few minutes was a secondary thought as right now the chase was thrilling enough as it was.

  
“You are quite fast aren’t you?” He called.

  
“Of course I am! Come Admiral have you grown slow in your high rank and lax work?” She laughed back at him and her words coupled with her merriment sent his heart flying and his head spinning. Redoubling his efforts, he nearly caught up to her as they rounded the corner of the manor and she collided with her father who grasped her arms to keep them both from falling. James tripped on his own foot as he skidded to avoid crashing into them and went reeling to the ground.

  
It took him all of two seconds to collect his thoughts and as he looked from Elizabeth to his father-in-law to himself and back to Elizabeth, his mouth opened and closed and opened and failed him and closed again. “Sir, I- ah- we- um- that is- well-” He scrambled to his feet. “I was just-and she was-” He pointed vaguely in the direction they’d just come from and then the general direction they were headed towards which he honestly hadn’t a clue if there was a reason behind or true destination for that matter. “You’re not hurt are you?” He looked from Elizabeth to her father and back to her unsure himself who he was asking entirely.

  
“Father,” She stepped back and dusted her self off- or rather smeared the mud a bit. “You are quite unexpected. How are you?” Her face turned calm and despite her ragged breathing which she forced through her flaring nostrils as her chest began to slow from it’s rapid rising and falling, she maintained eye contact with her father as she spoke. Her head held high, she turned back toward the way they came so as to show her father in.

  
“I’m sorry father for the mess here.” She pointed to his shirt. Her father much like James seemed completely speechless his face pale and his eyes grown to twice their normal size, shifting from her to James and back to her.

  
“It’s no trouble. I’m sure, I’m sure it will clean just fine.” He absently swept away at his chest.

  
“I uh, that is, I would not have come so unannounced or uninvited-”

“-nonsense Father, you are always welcome.” She waved her hand in such a relaxed way she could have nearly fooled even James into believing she had grown up here.

He swallowed hard. It was not so easy for him to catch his breath as his heart thrust itself against the cage of his chest willing with all its might to leap out. Glancing down at himself once more as he followed them inside, he noted the disastrous state of himself and that he would in fact need a bath before entertaining company, even if it was her father.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll have our baths drawn.” James offered as he walked around them and strode toward the kitchen to speak with Ester.

“Yes of course.” Her father responded in a blink.

“James?” Elizabeth called to him and he nearly tripped as he stopped himself.

“Scalding hot, please.” She didn’t wait for him to turn.

“Of course.” He nodded and continued.

As he continued their words echoed through the hall for a few moments. Her father murmured something surprise evident in his tone. She laughed in response.  
“You know how I love a challenge Father!”

                                                                           

* * *

  
Once they had cleaned up it was time for dinner and they all sat at the table. There was sweet wine that complemented the cheese and meat. James listened in silence as Elizabeth and her father spoke.

  
“The old house has been quite dull without you, Elizabeth.” He spoke softly and stare was a bit empty till she reached over and padded his hand and he blinked up at her.

“You are always welcome here.” She repeated her earlier sentiment.

  
“Always.” The word was out before James could stop himself. Both Elizabeth and her father glanced at him. But he’d already encroached on their moment so he just nodded to affirm his statement without uttering another word.

  
“Well actually,” The governor seemed hesitant. “That is in part why I’m here.”

  
James looked from him to her and back and waited.

  
“There was a message that came for you James. It looked urgent and your young Lieutenant was on his way here when I spotted him and spoke to him. I was thinking of heading over anyway.” He winced and James followed his train of thought to their earlier conversation.

He shook his head, "Elizabeth told you sir, you are always welcome.” He dismissed the concern. “What is it that Groves was coming to tell me?”

  
“Ah yes, here.”

The governor opened his jacket and slipped his hand into the inside pocket. Lifting the letter, he handed it across the table to James.  
With a flip of his wrist he had the letter open and glanced over it briefly. Only after he had been looking at it a moment did he realize the room was quiet. He looked up to see both Elizabeth and her father looking at him waiting. His brow shifted and he looked back to the letter to be sure of what he read.

  
“It seems, there have been some unidentified ships off the coast.” He shifted his eyes between his letter, her eyes and her father’s. _Unidentified-_ code for probably pirates.

“Our scheduled patrol will have to be upped to tomorrow.”

The waters near them were unsafe if there were pirates daring like the idiots they are to threaten English guarded waters. But William Turner could also be among them. It was still unclear as to whether he would be considered captive or pirate himself by now. James had not seen him in an age. But if Elizabeth could be considered a - Elizabeth! He glanced at her she was staring at her plate and only pushing what remained of it this way and that quietly. _She was likely hoping that Turner would be rescued if the opportunity arose._ _And where would that leave them?_  

“I should probably go prepare.” He stood up and swished the last of his drink down in one gulp. “Thank you sir, for delivering the message.” He fell back into his business tone without even trying.

“Of course.” Her father rose to his feet and offered James a handshake. “You would be welcome to come by and keep Elizabeth from boredom if you wish. She’s too smart to not have something for her mind to be challenged by.” He chanced a glance down at her and noted the color in her cheeks. _What had he said now? That was probably too far. Too late to fix._

  
“Please, excuse me.” He bowed slightly and headed up to his room. He would not need much. Just his clothes, sword, pistols he would need to be at the dock before sunrise in order to have the ship ready to leave by mid-afternoon. His evening passed by fast as he prepared to leave. Sometime late that night their coach pulled out into the path below, the governor no doubt inside. A few moments later, he heard her footsteps climb the stares and pause. He stayed still in his seat beside his open chest, the last of his necessary belongings sitting on his bed waiting to be placed into the empty slot. From his vantage point he could make out her shadow in front of his door as she stood there a moment. Then she was gone and the light returned to the small crack under his door. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was a holding. Quickly he set the last of the belongings into the chest and carefully closed it.

  
_The message just had to come on today of all days!_

Scratching the back of his neck, he clenched his jaw. As he leaned forward onto his knee with his free forearm he slid his thumb over his knuckles. Sleep would not come easy tonight.

                                                                     

* * *

  
At what felt like still the middle of the night, James rose tired of tossing and turning. This was as good a time as any to head out and get the crew ready. Who knew what he would find having been away with Theo in charge for the past few weeks. He might just have to whip them into shape again like a lot of recruits! No that was unfair. It wasn’t Theo he was mad at it was just this whole situation. All this time and Elizabeth finally seemed like she didn’t hate it here anymore and… and now he had to leave?

  
Quietly he eased his door open. The way sound traveled in this house was no secret. Crisp and chilly the morning greeted him with a cutting edge. A chill ran down his back and he shook his shoulders. The morning harshness would not get to him. He had only had a moment to speak with Joseph last night before going to bed and he though he was expecting the man to have his coach ready at the appointed time he was impressed to find that though he was notably early even for his normal punctual timing Joseph had beaten him. The coach stood manned and waiting his arrival.

  
“Thank you Joseph.” James spoke quietly as he nodded toward the man. Quickly, Joseph took his trunk and began to load it. This was it he would be heading out for no less than a month.

“Sir, Ester’s got your breakfast ready for you.”

“Thank you Joseph.” He wasn’t even planning on eating, but if he was going to be eating what that sorry excuse for a cook made for the next month and Ester already had a no doubt mouth watering meal prepared, who was he to deny what was put before him?

  
As he made his way to the kitchen the warmth of it relaxed his muscles. Stepping into the kitchen, he spotted Ester but was surprised to see Elizabeth perched on the counter clutching a mug close to her chest. Steam wafted up from the cup against her chin. Her eyes met his without hesitation. “James,” She greeted quietly.  
Stopping mid-stride, he tried not to smile.

“Elizabeth,” He continued and pulling a chair out stood beside it. “I wasn’t expecting to see you before you left.”

“Yes I can see that.” _Was she chuckling?_

  
“Are you joining me for breakfast?”

  
“At this horrible hour?” She scoffed and sipped her drink. However she did hop off the counter and walk up to the chair he had pulled out for her and sat down.

They were quiet for a few minutes as he cut into his stake and eggs and wished in a passing thought as the savory flavors hit his tongue that he could somehow bring Ester’s food along on the trip. Then he looked at her and she was staring into her cup as if there were answers in it and she would have them if only she looked hard enough.

“Thank you, by the way for seeing me off.” He spoke quietly. “You really didn’t have to.”

  
Her shoulders rose a hair and her back stiffened. “What kind of image would I be putting forth if I didn’t.” Her words were cold but they seemed to lose their sharpness even as they were spoken.  
“How long do you expect to be gone?” Her tone turned dull.

  
“I cannot say for sure, a month maybe a little more. It will probably depend on what we find.” He spoke softly. Something about this moment seemed to demand reverence he didn’t quite understand but could not deny. She nodded still gazing absently only now into his plate instead of her drink.

  
His food was gone all too soon and the sunlight was braving the night and daring it to flee. He lifted his mug of milk to his lips and drank deeply till it was all drained out. Then he took a moment and a breath. _Perhaps she was afraid to be here alone? But that was unlikely wasn’t it? When was she ever afraid? She had made it clear she certainly didn’t need him. No it was something else, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it._

  
“Well, it seems that that time for the farm to be in your hands is a bit sooner than either of us had expected. I know you will do well with it,” He paused and it occurred to him that she was not the changing of the guard or anything of the like and he probably would just irritate her by giving report to her now.

“but if you find you tire of the work, Joseph can run the farm just fine I know. And a,” He paused unsure of how to bid her goodbye. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.” She cut him off while simultaneously standing at the same time causing his training to kick in and before he knew it he was on his feet before her.

  
They walked in silence till they were at the door. Then he was back to not knowing what to say.

  
“Listen, James, be safe.” She whispered before he had a chance to mess it up again. _Thank God!_ Reaching down, she squeezed his hand. He lifted her hand that held his up as he bent down and gently kissed her knuckles. “Fare well Elizabeth."


	5. An Unwanted Prize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay Everyone!  
> Here it is! I am so sorry it took so long to get back to it! But I'm hoping that I'll be able to be more consistent since I have a little more time right now...:)

Elizabeth dozed off and on for the next few hours. As the sun slid glared off the balcony and into her window, she gave up on sleep. Flipping onto her back, she slammed her head into her pillow.

_James had to be working non-stop with his crew by now. At least if he had to be out in the cold morning, he’d be doing something he loved. At least it seemed he would. It was hard to know what he really loved after yesterday. She thought she knew him. He was so easy to read normally. So straight forward, cut and dry, but yesterday; yesterday. What had happened yesterday? Yesterday was fun. Her cheeks colored. Had she misjudged James Norrington?_

She shook her head.

_What did it matter? She needed to get up and go do something else. Already she’d spent so much time in her own head._

Her stomach rumbled. _Breakfast, yes breakfast was a good idea._

Throwing her blankets off, she sat up and swung her feet to the ground. With a quick swipe, she threw her robe on over her night gown and strode to the door. As she hopped down the stairs, the sounds of pans clattering against each other mixed with a woman's voice softly singing echoed down the hall from the kitchen. The cook must be working. Then the smell of eggs and hit her and she inhaled deeply. Now _that_ was a warm welcome.

When she stepped into the kitchen Ester looked over her shoulder and the singing stopped. Giving a short bow, the woman returned to scraping eggs around in the skillet.

“Oh please don’t stop, Ester, I was enjoying your song.” She urged walking up to the cubbard and finding a cup.

Ester kept her eyes on her work and remained silent.

“Listen, Ester,” She touched the woman’s sleeve covered arm. “No matter how frightening the Admiral is, I don’t bite and you don’t have to treat me extra special.”

Ester looked at her and then back at the stove. “Admiral Norrington, isn’t frightening. He has been nothing but kind to us.” She peeked a quick look at Elizabeth and searched her face her movements jumpy.

“Well good then.” Elizabeth scooped some water from the bucket and hoisted herself up on the counter. “He had better be, I couldn’t stand being married to a cruel slave master.” Her words faded softly. Sitting ankles crossed, she took a drink and then turned her gaze down toward her cup. She had never admitted to anyone that she was married. It hit her as if speaking it was solidifying it. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the woman flinch at the word slave.

“Begging your pardon Ma’am but, well, we’re not slaves.”

Elizabeth looked over at her. “Oh?”

“No, not anymore that is.” Ester’s voice was soft.

“How’s that?” She leaned forward a hair.

“Well, we’ve been slaves working this manor for years. But a few weeks ago the last owner sold all of it, the land, the manor, and us to your husband.” She scraped the eggs onto a plate and walked over reaching into a drawer for a fork. “Shall I put this on the dinning table for you?”

Elizabeth took it from her gently and waited for her to continue talking. “Thank you, please go on.”

“Yes well, he bought all of us and then the very next day he gave us our freedom and told us he’d be paying for our work on the farm after that. If we wanted to leave we could or we could continue on as we had before-only you know, free.”

Elizabeth’s eyebrows pinched and she blinked a few times.

_What was he playing at? Why would he give the slaves their freedom and offer to keep them on?_

She looked up at Ester who was washing the dishes. “Thank you Ester,” She hopped off the counter and walked toward the outer door.

“Yes Ma’am.” Ester nodded keeping her eyes on her work and quietly she returned to humming to herself.

As Elizabeth made her way out to the tree, she scooped a mouth-full of the steaming fluffy yellow eggs. This crop was different from the one out back. It was like tall grass. She would have to ask Joseph later what it was. Right now though she would sit under the tree and enjoy these savory eggs. Glancing down, she quickly adjusted her step to avoid a mud puddle and couldn’t help but grin to herself. Then she caught her lower lip in her teeth as a strange warm feeling washed over her.

What was that?

She shook her shoulders. Here she was, the area around the tree open and free from the surrounding grass like plants.

_Wait there was something attached to the tree. Was that a…? It was. A swing. James must have done it. But when?_

She approached it. There in the seat, her own name was carved.

_That’s why he had wanted to know what she liked being called._

Gently, she slid her fingers over the letters.

_He had spent hours on this._

Grasping one of the ropes, she eased herself down on it. It held. As she sat there, she finished her meal. Sliding out of the swing, she walked toward the tree to set the plate down. There in the wood of the base of the tree, again her name was etched only this time it was her full name. She had not given him a solid answer and he had decided both would do evidently. With a mind of its own, her heart jumped to a notch faster. Turning, she walked back to the swing.

_It was perfect._

Just the right height and it was wide enough to be comfortable. She shook her head a little.

_What had possessed him to spend so much time and such great effort for her with this? Perhaps he thought that if she was pleased enough with his gifts she would stay and no doubt support his position, politically._

“No Lizzy at least give him some credit!” She huffed screwing her eyes shut. _Maybe he really did want her to be happy? It wasn’t so hard to believe. A happy wife would at least be easier to get along with and his chances of children were- That was enough of that thought!_

“Just take it at face value. He probably saw me at this tree sitting in the dirt and thought- _I’ll give that woman a swing lest she ruin every dress she owns sitting in the dirt._ ” Most likely option for sure. There was something freeing in swinging here though. It was as if all the weight she’d been carrying was somehow just a little less. Still he would be getting no favors from her. But he would have her thanks when he returned. She owed him that at least.

                                                                     

* * *

 

James read over the chart of cargo they would be carrying. Men raced about him tying rigging, moving barrels, locking hatches. Theo strolled up. Glancing up, James noted the Lieutenant’s smirk. Groves locked eyes with him, his hands casually in his pockets.

“So, how is everything at the manor?” He rocked back on his heels.

“Fine, thank you.” James was not in the mood for Theo’s games. He turned his eyes back to the ledger.

“And how is Mrs. Norrington?” Theo leaned in a little too close and whispered under his breath.

James stood taller and fixed the man with a cold stare and set his jaw. “She is fine and getting settled in. Thank you.”

“I bet she is. At least now since you’ve-”

“-Lieutenant, see to it that all these barrels are counted and every man has the proper uniform, I want a full inspection before we leave.” James curtly closed the book and handed it to Groves.

Rolling his eyes, Theo huffed before he cleared his throat and acknowledged the order. “Right away sir.” If he continued in this manner the trip would be a long one for sure.

“We need to be out of this port by 2 o’clock at the latest.” James called after Theo. “See that it is done in an orderly fashion.”

“I am always fashionable, my good m-" Groves looked up at James and then flicked his eyes to James' tightly closed jaw. His smiled died. "-Admiral.” With that he was gone, disappearing below deck.

* * *

 

                 The first few days were long. It was nice to get back into the routine of life on the sea. Still he found himself drifting every now and then, thinking about the few short weeks on the plantation with Elizabeth. That last afternoon especially had a tendency to replay itself in his mind’s eye. This afternoon was no exception to the situation. As he sat behind the wheel-man, he stared out over the sparkling water. He couldn’t seem to track his own thoughts, his mind fluttering impossibly in a cloud of the memory of her expression as he bid her farewell; his vision gradually unfocused till everything around him was a blur.

                 Faintly he could hear someone calling off in the distance and he tried to pull himself from the daze he knew he was in but his mind felt sluggish, not wanting to leave its hiatus. Then it was a hand on his shoulder.

“What do you want to do about it sir?” Theo asked; he was standing beside James now.

Suddenly the world came into a crisp light. There before him in a small dingy, off in the distance a lone sailor sat-or lounged really an old golden box of a trinket in one hand and a bottle in the other.

“My glass.” James murmured and Groves was ready for the command as the spyglass was instantly in his hand.

Lifting the sight enhancing object, James peered through. Squinting, his eyes turned cold as the sailor became clearer in his view. Slowly he lowered the glass and closed it.

“Veer to port.” He commanded calmly.

Adjusting his shoulders, James stood straighter and handed the device to Theo without looking.

                 Within the next thirty minutes, Jack’s small dory bumped against the side of the Guardian’s port-side. A moment later, Jack was climbing aboard. Clumsily, he slapped his hand to the top rail and with catlike agility flung the rest of himself over the rail.

_Was he ever not drunk? Furthermore was he ever actually hindered by his intoxication?_ “Jack,” James exhaled deeply.

Glaring the pirate in the eyes, his hand twitched involuntarily.

Jack grinned back at him. “It’s you I see.”

James tried to keep from rolling his eyes. “Not in the best of places here you know.”

“Yes well it would seem it’s right where my crew saw fit to leave me, again.” Jack shrugged and brought the bottle to his lips.

“Mutinied again? Oh Jack, perhaps pirating is not for you after all-or at least captaining.” James walked to the rail and stood looking out over the waters again hands behind his back.

“I don’t know, you look pretty well, and you had to try again, didn’t you? But you, now you are not one that pirating looks good on.” Jack made an expression as if he had just tasted lemon or some other sour food.

James’ back stiffened. “Yes well thank God for that. I never was meant for an aimless life.”

Jack made a noncommittal sound bobbing his head from right to left as if it were a buoy atop his shoulders. “One must only apply oneself to it, I suppose. Anyway, you have your lot, a pirate’s life for me though. Besides how bored would we get if neither of us had anything to do? We work well together, me running from you, you chasing me and occasionally working together before we get back to our old game. It’s a good system we’ve got really.” He stood beside James lounging against the railing as if he owned the ship.

His eyes narrowed then he shrugged again. “It also keeps you from thinking about well you know, her too. Which is good since we all saw what a lousy pirate you turned into when you were around her- I was always hoping you’d get her you know. At least now-”

“-I don’t need to keep from thinking about Elizabeth, she is part of my life and I am thankful to have known her.” James’ tone turned cold and almost dead.

Jack didn’t need to know anything about his personal life. “Still, she was a deadly one wasn’t she? I mean look, you nearly killed yourself drowning in your sorrows over her-well that and not being able to catch me-and there was that bit about the sinking ship-and the-”

_Was he ever going to stop?_

“-the loss of faith from your country in you-which seems to be reinstated. Anyway, you almost died, she nearly killed me-or maybe she did kill me-it’s all a little fuzzy on that point.” His voice wobbled a bit in uncertainty. “And then of course there’s the boy.”

_T_ _urner._ _Perhaps if he could find Turner than at least that could give her some peace of mind._

But Jack was off in a new direction before he could blink. “So, where are we headed?”

James ignored the question. “What of Turner?” 

“What of Turner, what?”

_Was he difficult on purpose? Or was that just part of his personality?_ James let out a sigh. “Where is Turner?”

“Turns out he backed the wrong lot, that one.” Jack shook his head slowly. “He should have realized what he had when he had it. He’s not likely to get back now is he?”

“Why would you say that?” James kept his eyes on the sea. The last thing he needed was to give his secret away.

“He’s headed out in search of his father.” Jack paused and fiddled with the handle of his sword.

James had long realized that he didn’t need his ‘affects’ to manipulate the situation to his benefit. Still his words lacked any sort of finality.

“And?” James prompted.

“This is no endeavor great enough to end another surely?” Jack made a whimpered indecisively and shrugged.

_Did he always do that?_ “Listen, I owe you a debt,” James started, he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this questioning.

Jack perked up.

No doubt that wasn’t something he heard often, by the English Admiral of Port Royal no less.

“I am going to set you free and if you find anything out about Turner. You are to make every effort to get the information to me.”

Jack’s lip quivered at the edge. “That’s it? I keep these keen ears open and report to you, and in return I go free?”

James nearly grimaced. “Jack you’d better get me some information.”

He turned toward the captain who leaned back just a bit. “Next time I shall not be so lenient on you.” James clenched his jaw.

“Not a problem, now if you could point me in the direction of a meal table and then finish it off with a bottle of rum I shall be on my way.”

James did roll his eyes this time. “Get him what he wants.” He spoke to the attendant without moving his eyes from Jack’s whose toothy grin left much to be desired. Nodding to him, James turned and walked away.

At least if nothing else, now he would be able to have a better chance at hearing the general whereabouts and condition of Turner. Without looking back, James made his way to his quarters. Once he closed the door behind himself, he reached up and pulled the wig from his head. Tossing it to it’s the side table, he scratched his sweaty head. In a heap he crumpled down on the bed and ran his hand down his face. As he sighed, his mind traveled at lighting speed.

_If he did find anything about Turner, would it even be healthy for Elizabeth? Well perhaps the peace of mind alone could do her some good. Hopefully._

An hour later as Jack climbed over the rail with a sack of food and a new bottle in hand, James called to him from his door way to wait. Walking over, James kept his speed to a normal pace. There was no need for racing.

“Jack, if you should see William Turner, do tell him that I would like him to return to the port, pirate or no, he is to return and will be under my protection there.”

Jack’s brow jumped and his eyes clouded. Then like nothing had happened his cheery reminiscent expression found it’s place and he winked at James. “Consider it done.”

_Why did it seem like he was hiding something? Could he just let Jack go, without knowing for sure?_

“Jack?” Evidently not. Jack froze. _It was more than a hunch then. What was Jack hiding?_ “Jack,” James waited for him to turn around.

Jack wouldn’t face him. Something was up for sure. “Jack, what do you know?” James nodded toward Jack while looking at one of his men. The man stepped over and grasped Jack’s arm.

Jack sighed.

“Well out with it. Don’t you want to be on your way?”

Slowly Jack turned. “Well I may have heard that the boy was last seen near the East India Trading Company’s route.”

“That just slipped your mind did it?” James shook his head and waved dismissively. “I’ll never understand you Jack. And good for it. My mind would have to stop working for yours to make sense to it.”

Jack smiled. “Well takes someone special to understand some one special I’ve heard." He actually winked. "Still thank you for the service of giving it a shot! Gentlemen,” He turned his attention to the group and raised his voice while stepping backward over the rail and lifting his hat high. “You’ll have to remember this as the-” His foot caught on a rope and he tripped backward. A loud splash echoed from below. “-Captain Jack Sparrow!” The voice from below called up.

James glanced at the hat that now sat on the deck. “Do return his hat to him and cut the ropes.” He stepped away without looking down to Jack. The young officer obliged.

“You there,” James called up to the man at the wheel. “Set a course to Madness Island.” With that he walked into his cabin and shut the door behind him. The silence that followed the command was deafening.

“Aye Admiral.” The man finally found his tongue.

* * *

 

                 The door opened and closed. James looked up. Of course it was Lieutenant Groves. James reached under his desk and grabbed the parchment from the small drawer.

“Admiral,” He stood at attention before the desk.

_So this was to be his formal opinion then._

“Groves,” James reached for his quill.

Setting the paper near the edge of the wooden desk, he waited for Groves before drawing the quill from the ink he had plunged it into. Groves need not know his purpose in penning the letter.

“Sir, I would like to point out the danger of this route.”

James nearly laughed. “Danger? Theo, are we not called to risk our lives every day for King and country?”

Theo’s brow furrowed. “King and country yes, but some, some, some nobody-”

“-That’s an English nobody.” James interjected.

Theo looked down at him. “James this is madness, like actual madness.”

“Please speak freely Theo.”

“James I know this is about Turner, I thought you’d be happy he’s gone. Look this way your wife can stop fawning over some-”

James’ eyes left his paper and slowly, deliberately climbed till they met Theo’s then locked into place. His eyebrow cocked up.

Theo paled. “What I mean is, well she’ll probably be a better more faithful wife if she hasn’t any temptation in front of her.”

James face tilted forward a hair.

“I mean she was quite taken with that fatherless boy.”

James jaw lowered and held open in a forced way, lips barely parted.

“I know how much more you’re worth, being an Admiral, being well off, holding property, having a good upright trade. Not to mention you’re quite dashing-even with these awful wigs.”

James licked his lips and swallowed.

“She just can’t seem to find you attractive and that seems hindersome you know if you’re ever going to have a heir at least. Especially if she always thinking about another man.”

The color flew freely to his cheeks and his ears burned.

“All I’m saying is she doesn’t seem to like you at all, your personality, your looks, I don’t think she even knows you have a sense of humor; your life will be much easier without a young good-looking rogue like Will Turner here.”

His eyes slowly closed. After a minute, James ventured to believe that Theo was quite finished accidentally insulting both him and Turner. Clearing his throat, James kept his eyes trained on the paper.

“Turner is but 7 years my junior, he is a citizen of the crown and therefore deserves our protection if we are able to offer it to him. I am quite aware of my worth as well as my responsibilities regardless of any personal thoughts I have on the issue.” He ventured to lift his eyes to Groves.

Groves gulped.

“I am under no delusions about what my wife thinks of Turner or me for that matter. It is neither your place, nor are you welcome to presume on what she thinks of myself or Turner. She is a lady and will not be spoken of in such a way. She is faithful and," He swallowed. "-and Turner is no threat to our marriage in any way.”

James rose to his feet, his tone cold and deathly calm.

Theo took a step back.

“Should I ever hear any of this talk from you again or anything of it’s nature from the men. I will assume you had a whisper involved and I will be forced to act on it. If you value your life, I would remain silent on the subject unless you value the lesson of the grave.” James noted widening of the lieutenant’s eyes. “Now, if your stubborn fear of going to a place you’ve listened to too many child’s tales of is quite replaced with a willingness to do your job, then I suggest you return to your post and forget we had this conversation-except my warning of course. Never forget that for it is valid till the day I die.”

“Sir,” Groves stood at attention saluted and stalked out.

James dropped into his chair at the sound of the door closing behind Groves. Groves was always saying things he didn’t mean. _But seriously? This was too much. No one would presume on Elizabeth’s integrity-no one ever._ He picked up the quill which had been forgotten in the discussion. Huffing, he scraped at the ink bleeding on the table. With a deep breath he set the quill to the page.

Elizabeth, As it turns out, our trip has been extended as another lead has taken us further from Port Royal.

In my absence do be sure to maintain the crop. We can’t afford to loose it.

I will return as soon as I am able, and I am sorry for leaving you alone for so long in our first few months of marriage.

Take care of your father and stay safe.

Sincerely,

~James

* * *

 

                _He did not just write that! Who was he to shirk responsibility of the farm and go gallivanting across the seas on adventures?!_

She threw the letter on the bed where she had been sitting only a moment ago till she leapt up in protest.

_So now he got to have fun at sea and left her to take care of the chores back home!_ _Well he had another thing coming to him. He would not tell her what to do! Swing, and mud fight and weird happy moment aside she was marooned on this little farm and he was free as a bird on the waves of the wind! He was supposed to be the boring, responsible one!_

She looked at herself in the mirror dressed properly and ready to join her father on a ride to the coastline for a picnic lunch.

_What had become of her? She was growing complacent here in this life again. As if her time here was but a short wait till James returned! What difference did it make if he returned! He was only one more physical image of the trap she somehow had gotten into over the last few months. What was wrong with her?_

Grinding together, her teeth created a rough sound. Tightly her hands clenched into fists.

_No! She would not get trapped by society and mundane tasks and fields and small plants that needed just a little extra care! No!_

She huffed and slammed her door as she strode through it accidentally catching her skirt in it. In a split second, she was on her face.

“Elizabeth dear are you alright?”

_Perfect._

Her father was here early.

“Yes I’m fine.” She growled pushing herself up as he neared the top of the stairs.

“Are you sure?” He was at her side kneeling down and offering a hand.

She bit her cheek and stared at the open palm. Narrowing her eyes at the offering, she suddenly realized her father was half to blame for this mess. He had in fact practically sold her off to Admiral Norrington. As if to crush something, her jaw clenched. Ignoring the offered hand, she shoved herself onto her feet and turned back to the door. Quickly opening it and releasing her skirt she shut it again. Glancing at the dress, she noted the rip in the seam by her waist. That was well enough as she was in no mood to actually go on the picnic now.

“I think I shall have to decline going on the outing after all Father. Do accept my most sincere apology. You’re welcome to go alone or make other arraignments but I will be busy this afternoon after all. See you at church.”

With that she left her father in the hall mouth hanging open in bewilderment. Shutting the door again, this time on his face, she turned the key in the lock before he had time to react and headed straight out to her porch. Closing the large framed glass doors, she slumped into her chair sighing deeply.

_So this was to be how it was. James would keep her trapped in this place, while he himself would be off sailing the seas! He of course would be from time to time, it was his job, but he’d already put his time in as of a week ago when he had failed to show up. Only now did she know why and she had even been concerned for him! This is how it would be! She had been foolish to think he wanted anything more than she first believed. Here she was being the picture of a good wife, letting the public know that Admiral James Norrington was in fact highly connected to none other than Governor Swann by none less than his only daughter. He was now no doubt one of the most highly revered men in Jamaica. He only need make his fortune and he would have power, military backing, royal favor and riches._

She shook her head.

_How had she been so blind? It had only been a short time and she had actually started to believe that maybe, just maybe he actually had some sort of honorable intention here. But of course she’d been wrong. Why did he have such a genuine smile? And what was with that rueful distant look in his eye? Never mind. It didn’t even matter. She’d been duped and that was all there was to it. Well kiss me once and all that. At least she’d never really had to kiss him._

Her stomach turned at that thought.

_At least he’d made it clear that he was not interested in her physically since he was fine with her leaving on their wedding day no less. If only he’d been Will! A tear slipped down her cheek at the name alone._

Sighing, she curled into herself on the chair. Or at least tried and realized that she was still in that ridiculous dress. Well that was to be remedied in two seconds. Stalking back into her room she tried to pull at her dress evidently she had fallen hard because that alone seemed enough to tear the fabric which now held firmly.

_Great! Well she'd get out of it the normal way then._

* * *

 

                 After three weeks more of searching for Turner and coming up empty handed, James stood behind the wheel eyes glazed in a non-focused way.

_Here he was wasting time, when his wife-when Elizabeth was back home on the farm. What good would it do anyway to find Turner? He would undoubtedly only be a physical daily reminder to Elizabeth of what she could not have because of James. Would this be forever his lot? The wall between her and happiness? Or the crushed path leading her back to Turner?_

James huffed. Flicking the lone salty dew the slipped from his eye away, he righted his coat and vest.

_It hardly mattered how he felt about the situation. It never did, if William Turner’s safety meant Elizabeth’s peace of mind it was a small price to pay._

He ran his tongue across his teeth before taking a deep breath. Raking his fingers through his hair, he walked to the edge of the deck. It had grown out some since they hadn’t been to port in over a month and a half. Truly, he preferred it this way. A little long on the top wavy and free from the itchy, hot, smelly, wig he was required to wear for formality during events when seen by others. Light foot steps drew him from his own world. With a quick glance, he noted Groves’ approach. Hands behind his back, slowly came to stand beside James. Uncharacteristically quiet, he licked his lips. Something was up. Opening his mouth, he paused before closing it again. James’ brows narrowed but he kept his eyes on the sea.

“Sir,”

_Sir? Well that couldn't be good._ “Yes Lieutenant?”

He scuffled his right foot.

_That bad huh?_

“Last night we intercepted Sparrow again.”

James felt the hair on the back of his neck lift. “And no one thought to wake me?” His voice was dead.

Groves swallowed audibly. He licked his lip again. “Well, Sir, I did try. But after three days of not sleeping, you were rather dead to the world.”

James tried to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Yes, well where is he?” He hardly wanted to talk about what was keeping him up driving himself and his crew tirelessly till he dropped quiet literally.

“He’s below. He seems to have some information on William Turner.” He hesitated.

“What is it? Is he dead?” James turned towards his lieutenant.

Groves faced him as well. “Well, no, not exactly.”

James’ eyes narrowed. “It’s not a trick question Groves, one is either dead, or one isn’t. Where is he?”

Groves squinted his eyes and bit his lip. “It might be best if you hear it from Jack. I can’t say I honestly understand it myself.”

James sighed. “Alright then. Bring him here at once.”

“Sir.” Groves clicked his heels together and was off.

James turned back toward the railing. _Well ready or not, here he would come with all the trouble it would bring._

Moments later, Jack was swaggering on deck looking confident as ever. His dark eyes shining in the morning light.

“Jack,” James nodded toward him. “I see you’ve found your way back to us with cryptic news of Turner.”

Jack held his hands out as if in an invisible silent dance. “Yes, something like that.”

_Was it possible to make something more hazy while explaining it? If so Jack had certainly mastered the art._

“Yes, it would seem that Turner is not as he once was and not what he shall be.” Jack’s right brow lifted as his eyes squinted and his teeth met lightly in the middle gently tapping against each other three times.

James closed his eyes sighing deeply. “Tell me something Sparrow, have you ever been able to give a straight answer?”

“I-well that is to say -when once I was faced with- actually-”

“-Nevermind, forget I asked. On to the point can we bring William back or not? I am over-due back in port and my men are getting restless. I haven’t the time to waste aimlessly about in the ocean.”

“Someone to get home to aye?”

_How was it that he could get his questions across no issue, but his answers were so complicated?_ James sighed clearing it of his own thoughts. “Look Jack, I’m not going to ask again.”

“Right.” Jack took a few quick steps closing the distance to the ship’s railing. “So I know where he is and if you will take me to Tortuga I shall endeavor to get young William back for you.”

“William is in Tortuga? Why are you beating around the bush for that? Mr. Taylor,” James turned his attention to the man at the wheel. Quickly stepping past Jack, he grasped the map which sat on the small table beside the wheelman.

“Wait, Admiral, there’s more.”

_There always was._

Turning slowly on his heels, James faced Jack. “Yes what?”

“Well, William is actually on a ship just now. And in order to get him back, well we’ll need to stop at Tortuga and then we can set out for him.”

James’ jaw clenched. He stretched his neck. Quietly and deliberately, he stepped back over to Jack who staggered back a step. “I have rations for my men for a week and a half more. Can you get William for me in that time, or do I need to refit before we continue on this murky mission?”

Jack glanced from him to the wheelman who stood watching, to Groves who seemed anchored to his place beside the stairs, and finally back to James. One of his shoulders dropped while the other raised to come close to his chin which dipped at the same time. “Shouldn’t be a two jaunts.” He shrugged.

James glared at him a moment giving him a chance to change his mind. _He seemed certain. Alright then, this was it._ _They would find Turner like it or not._ Slowly turning back to the wheelman while keeping his eyes on Jack’s as long as possible he spoke. “Mr. Taylor would you please set a course to Tortuga.” It was no question.

“Aye sir.” The man who had been waiting with baited breath scrambled.

“Now, Sparrow, is there anything else I need to know before we get started on this little adventure?”

Jack’s eyes wandered toward the mast then the deck below. It was easy to see the wheels turning in his mind. “When we make it to Tortuga you should let me handle things and wait on the ship, then I should be able to get young Turner back and deliver him to you mostly unscathed.”

_Mostly?_

“Oh and I’m going to need more rum.”

Shaking his head, James made his way to the stairs. “Mr. Scotts, get this man a drink.”

The young man standing on the stairs scurried off.

“Groves, I’m going to be in my quarters I want to know the moment Tortuga is in sight.”

“Sir.” Groves cold response was odd. Clearly there was more to this but _what_ was less clear.

* * *

 

                _Alright, this isn’t that hard._

Elizabeth pulled one of the little weeds by it’s roots and tossed it onto the growing pile of uprooted unwanted plants. It had only been a few hours and she had cleared a good fifth of the field of it’s weeds-well her and the three men working with her. Glancing about, she noted the men hard at work. They had years of experience in this but it wasn’t a hard task and she was holding her own with them. Refusing to give anymore, her neck grew stiff from the strain. In a quick shot, she stood up and instantly groaned as flashes of light began to dance around in her patchy vision.

“Are you alright miss?” Joseph was at her side in a moment’s notice.

She grinned slightly and shook her head. “You’d think I’d have learned after all these weeks wouldn’t you Joseph? I know better than to jump up after crouching and bending forward for so long.”

His eyes darted from her face to her partially bent legs as she wiped her forehead with the back of her forearm. “Are you quite sure you’re okay Ma’am?”

She rolled her eyes her slight smile growing wider. “Yes Joseph thank you I am perfectly fine.”

He nodded and stepped away.

Waiting for the dizziness to pass, she looked beyond the crops which had grown up to being about waist high. There in the distance she noted the tree line. “Joseph?”

“Yes Ma’am?” He paced back over. Clearly he was unconvinced that she was fine.

She shook her head. “We do own the lad beyond the trees just there, yes?”

His brow shifted. “Yes Ma’am.”

She hummed to herself as she nodded. “Is it thick forests? Or pretty open?”

“I could take you there Ma’am if you’d like to judge for yourself.”

“Yes that would be agreeable. Let’s plan for this afternoon heading over there.” She took a deep breath and knelt back down.

“Yes Ma’am.”

_Surely James wouldn’t have an issue with a little project of her own._

“Begin’ your pardon Ma’am, but tea is ready.”

Squinting in the sunlight, Elizabeth smiled over to Ester. “Yes thank you Ester, did you make enough for the men as well?”

Ester’s eyes grew only a little and only one of the men bothered to turn his head toward her. She had been brooking the rules of society for ages now and they had seen her do it some over the last several weeks. They really should know by now that whether they were considered slaves, servants or free, she knew they were people and people were to be treated to a certain standard no matter their rank-she’d been a pirate herself for months and had no excuse herself other than she was now married to one of the most powerful English admirals this far south. Still, she would always be a pirate at heart-or at least a free spirit if not a pirate-or king.

_Did James even know that about her? Would he even believe her? Unlikely. He would never have married her had he. There was still that too, why had he married her? Sure he might have wanted to add to the name he was building for himself by marrying the governor’s daughter, and he had proposed to her before she had been ruined by being at sea so long with the company of nobody in civilized society knew who or cared -he was the type to hold up his end of a bargain even after the deal went south he was just that kind of foolishly committed men._

She shook her head. Thinking on this wasn’t solving anything.

“Ma’am? Are you alright?” Joseph’s voice cut through her thoughts.

She looked over at him and rubbed her neck. “Yes Joseph, just a little tired.” Something in her stomach rumbled and she rubbed it.

Joseph and Ester exchanged glances.

“What is it?” She frowned at them.

“It’s just that Ester was talking to you for a while and you didn’t seem to hear at all.” He explained and Ester nodded.

She huffed a laugh. “Oh it’s nothing, just thinking about-that is I was just a little lost in thought.”

Ester smiled knowingly at Elizabeth before her eyes drifted over to Joseph and the sparked with a inner fire. Years of marriage had evidently given them a secret ability to speak without using their mouths. He nodded to her.

“Ma’am perhaps you should come sit for a while and rest.”

It seemed that the very idea triggered a sudden weariness in her.

“Yes that’s probably best. I am a bit over tired. But you men do need to break as well and have some tea and refreshments.” She walked past Joseph. “Oh and Joseph, once you’ve had your meal, send one of the men into town I want to invite my father for dinner.”

“Yes Ma’am.” He nodded and stood taller. With a quick signal he call work to a halt.

“Do you need an arm Ma’am?” Ester offered as she turned to head back to the out door eating area that Elizabeth had insisted they use as often as possible.

“Thank you Ester, but I’m sure I don’t, not yet anyway.” She wiped her hands on her apron and brushed a loose errant lock away from her face.

Ester’s eyes followed the movements of her hands. “Ma’am the post has also come in, there’s a letter from the master.” She held the letter with Elizabeth’s name written on the front in James’ handwritten script.

_Did that man fail at anything? Besides finding a willing bride that is of course._

With hands still filthy she could hardly take the letter just yet. “Tell me something, Ester,” She spoke as they continued to walk.

“Anything Ma’am.” She followed Elizabeth as they neared the middle of the grassy field that was behind the house as a pass to the productive field.

“We’re you quite in love with your husband, when you married him?” Elizabeth asked but focused on her hands as she scrubbed a bit at the caked dirt.

A mature chuckle echoed from Ester’s lips drawing Elizabeth’s eyes up to them. Daring to look just higher, her eyes locked with the older woman’s. There was tender light in them. Ester's eyes drifted away and unfocused as if she was looking through a window into the past. 

“Yes, very much.” Her lip pulled up on one side. “Joseph was such a good man, and I don’t know why but he quite thought the world of me, he wasn’t hard on the eyes either so that was helpful as well.” She shot Elizabeth a mischievous grin. Elizabeth couldn’t stop the light rose from infusing her cheeks for a quick second.

“Do you ever have any doubts that he was the man you were meant to marry?” She couldn’t help but look at the folded paper in Ester’s hand as she asked. Ester was quiet for a few moments. When she finally spoke she was quite reverent.

“If I may speak freely?”

“Oh please do Ester.”

“I don’t believe that there was or would ever be a different man for me. I can’t help but think that what ever was meant to happen would happen and that if I was meant to marry someone else, I would have. But here I am, married to the love of my life.” She gently clasped her left wrist with her right hand.

“And that’s it for you then, just knowing that it’s the way it’s supposed to be sums it up for you and you’re good?”

“Well, don’t misunderstand me, Joseph and I have hard times just like anyone, but we both know that we love each other and we make extra efforts to show that to each other. You’re spouse has to know that they are valued, loved and cared for; on both sides.”

Elizabeth hummed her understanding and reached out for the letter. “Thank you Ester for your honesty.”

Ester bowed.

She tapped the folded paper. “I will read this over tea.”

* * *

_He was doing this to himself really. She wasn’t asking him to find William Turner. She hadn’t sent him here in the first place. Now here he was on a wild goose chase, hunting after the man who loved his wife. What would he even do when he found Turner?_

Sitting here, on a cold night wondering what kind of trouble Sparrow was cooking up for them was not his idea of a well spent evening. If he got them all killed-well, Jack did have a rather clever way of keeping alive. Still that didn’t say much for those around him, who always seemed to be encountering some ruin. If this didn’t work, he was heading home with or without Turner.

Somewhere in the distance the fog darkened in a small shadow shape. It was the dingy that he had loaned Jack who had insisted he go alone to negotiate William’s release from the mysterious Flying Dutchman. Though James hardly believed the folklore about the ship and it’s crew, he couldn’t say he wasn’t just a bit relieved by Jack’s unmoving determination to go alone on this feat. It was a bit odd thought that Jack truly wanted to go alone for something like this. Still if the end result was success than James hardly cared. As the boat neared, James could just make out the rower’s body as Jack and a bundle in front of him laying in the boat covered in blankets.

“Help them in at once.” James called and the crew scurried about to complete the task set before them.

Once the boat was hulled up, Jack leapt out. “He has gone and got himself stabbed that one has. He’s nearly dead he is.”

Without meaning to, James’ mouth fell open just slightly. Had he been hit in the gut it might have felt the same. “Get the surgeon!” He called instantly.

* * *

Dear Elizabeth,

We’ve had a new idea of where our target might be and we are tracking it down. I hope to be back within a fortnight. Still we cannot control the tides or winds and where they lead sometimes we cannot know or predict. I pray you are well and the farm has not been unkind to you. Yet I know you are quite able to handle your own no matter the opposition. The farm no doubt is much better than I had left it. I will see you soon,

Sincerely,

~James Norrington

Well it had only been a week and a half past the fortnight he had indicated that he would be back by from the date on the letter. Letters traveled slow, she knew that, but that should mean that he would be here sooner rather than later. But like usual who knew what he was even searching for, and whether or not he found it when he had hoped he would. She sighed deeply as her head thumped against her bed frame.

_What did it really matter anyway? He might only be awkward if he was hear. He signed his letter Sincerely, James Norrington…as if in a business transaction or other formal occasion._

The creaking sound of the front door down stairs drew her from her thoughts. “Master,” Ester’s voice was soft but audible.

_So he was home. Well then that answered that question._

She leaned forward to get out of bed. The murmur of voices was growing a bit as James clearly was making his way up the stairs.

“No Ester, don’t trouble her, I’m sure she needs her rest.” He was saying. Her eyebrows drew closer together.

_Well perhaps he didn’t want to see her. In that case…_

She sat back against the bed with a soft sigh before rolling over and drawing her pillow close to her chest.

_Perhaps he was staying away on purpose during these early months of their marriage? Maybe he wanted to give both of them some space? Still he had seemed happy, just before he left._

The memory of his muddy face flashed before her eyes. His grin had been genuine. The thrill that had shot through her chest as he chased after her suddenly felt a bit sharp on the edges and cutting deep.

_No, he was probably just being considerate as he always was. She would not judge it before she gave him a chance to show how he felt tomorrow. It was late after all and she should be asleep by now anyway._

Something like irritation climbed the back of her neck as she brushed away her thoughts.

_Tomorrow was a new day, a new day that she could feel out the mood of this man James Norrington._

Only tomorrow was as usual full of surprises. Bright and early, as she made her way down to the kitchen, dressed well and nice, she found only Ester. “Ester?” She glanced around just in case she had missed him.

“Yes Ma’am?” Ester turned from her work at the stove not unlike how she normally did in the morning.

“Where is he?” She lingered in the doorway and glanced down the hall.

“Who Ma’am?” Ester looked genuinely confused.

“James” She locked eyes with Ester.

“Oh Ma’am he was out before the sun checking the fields by the earliest hints of light and then he was gone back to the fort.”

“What?” _So just like that, he is barely home and he’s gone again? Why would he do that? Why wouldn’t he stay here longer and at least say hello, or good morning? What was so urgent that it couldn’t wait a few hours?_ The heat that began to climb her chest and neck and cheeks and ear was a bit overwhelming. She took a deep breath and stepped outside. Just as the door closed she dashed to her swing.

_What was wrong with him? Did he not have the decency to at least acknowledge her before he set out again?_

Her jaw clenched and the relaxed only to pull tight again. Her breath became hot as she huffed in forced breaths. After she had sat on her swing in a confused furry for a while she snapped to her feet.

_Well she still had her work to do. Once she finished the fields she could go into town and find that man!_

She stomped toward the kitchen door. Suddenly her feet froze.

W _ait, what would that look like if she did go into town looking for him?_

Her shoulders slummed a little. _She would not be seen as the loveless bride chasing after her man-who clearly had little interest in her._ With that thought and a pace much slower she continued her journey. _She would still work in the fields, she had invested too much to quit now. Even if Admiral Norrington was rather-_

"Stop Lizzy!” She scolded herself. _There was no point in thinking too much about it in the first place. She didn’t care what he thought anyway._

Only the next three days played themselves out the same way and if James didn’t come home before she was in bed again on the fourth she would wait up for him. That was all there was to it. As she laced up her pants having given up on being nice looking when he first returned, she heard a sound just outside her door. It was his closing.

_So he was here?_

Despite herself, she raced to her door and slowed her movements just as she opened her door. There on the steps he stood and turned mid step having heard her.

“Elizabeth,” Her name sounded forced on his lips.

_Why did that hurt and give her chills at the same time?_

She stepped out and never let her eyes leave his. “James,” She couldn’t get her voice to carry any life in it.

He was in full uniformed dress.

“Are you to go to the fort again this morning?” Her eyes glanced up and down his outfit.

“Yes but I should be home early afternoon, to help in the fields.” He replied in his cold formal tone but his eyes, his eyes were guarded.

She couldn’t think of anything to say. _Why couldn’t she? She’d been wanting to give him a small piece of her mind for days now and the time comes and she’s what? Speechless? Well that was just perfect._

And he was already on his way down the stairs and out the door before she could react. It wasn’t as if he were running either, she just could seem to form anything. Groaning loudly, she slapped her forehead and then rubbed her eyes.

_At least she would be able to speak with him this afternoon which would be better, now considering that she had time to think of what she wanted to say to him._

The day past remarkably quickly and as she worked in the fields she played different sets of words through her head to say to him when he finally sowed up. As it was she was tying anchoring an errant plant that had fallen over when she heard the footsteps approach. She had decided she would give him a chance to explain his behavior without casting any stones-at least before he made his excuses. She would even make it easy for him to start by handing him a proverbial olive branch.

“It seems these stubborn little things can’t help but fall here or there if they’re not rooted well enough or supported by those closest to them.” She spoke as she worked at lifting it up and shoving dirt-mud really over it’s small delicate roots.

_Mud, now if she was in a better mood it would be great fun to-_

She couldn’t help the small snicker that tugged at one side of her lips as she played with the earth for a quick moment.

“I wouldn’t know much on that.” The voice pulled her from her thoughts in its gentle masculine tone. It was not James’ comforting baritone though, but the soft reverent tone of another she once knew well.

Whipping around, she shot to her feet. “Will!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone!  
> Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me this long!  
> I've been traveling for work way more than normal so I haven't had the time that I was planning on, but I'm not giving up on this story and as chapters are ready I will be posting (I don't have any trips in the near future planned so hopefully I'll be able to bang out a few chapters here pretty quick.) :)
> 
> Again just a thank you for all the comments and kudos! I really do enjoy hearing from you with critiques or notes or anything! It's helpful and always brings a smile to my face! So thanks everyone!


	6. Trapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys here's the next chapter! Let me know what you think!

                “Will!” Mud splashed against her leg as the twine spool that had been in her hand, now forgotten landed in the puddle beside her. There he stood his skin a bit more wind-blown his hair a little longer, scruff on his face in an unkept fashion but nonetheless, it was Will. Alive!

“Will you’re alive!” She took a step forward then paused her last memory of him flashing into her mind’s eye. “You are alive, aren’t you?”

His brow shifted in a relaxing motion. A self-deprecating smile creased the edge of his lip. “Yeah, I’m alive.”

She was in his arms before she realized it. He let out a soft grunt as she slammed into him.

“How did you-” she pulled back and looked at him. “When did you-”

He seemed to be well despite the paleness of his face.

“When did you get to Port Royal?” She held his arms which he did not resist.

“I arrived only a few days ago. I only just found out you were here.” He let go of one of her arms and rubbed the back of his neck.

“How are you even alive?” She searched his eyes. “I thought that your father-” she cleared her throat and her eyes darted past him to some of the growth about them now about waist high, “-that is, I thought you were dead.”

His hand lifted from his neck to his forehead and hairline. “I nearly was.” He bit his lip. “Is there somewhere we can go to talk?”

He glanced past her to Joseph who had discreetly glanced up but now was keeping his eyes trained on the plants and his work with them. She followed his line of sight. Then looking back at him, she nodded.

“Yeah, we can walk to the beach.” She indicated with an open palm the way to the beach.

* * *

 

             After they had been walking for a few minutes in silence, she glanced up at him. His old tattered cloths fraying at the edges and discolored at his joints. No doubt the little time there had been since she had last seen him had been rough.

“Will,” she licked her lips. “How did you manage to not die on the ship?”

His jaw clenched and he swallowed. “Just barely. I think I cannot really describe it, I was unconscious for a good deal of time. When I woke again I was in the brig. Then Jack had saved me.”

Her head shot up. _Jack? How had Jack even found him?_

They neared the dirt path that lead to the beach.

“This way,” She pointed.

He ducked into the thick brush heading toward the water below. Just as she was about to follow him, a haze of white caught her eye in the distance. James’ horse. He was on his way home then. She didn’t wait for him to see her. With heart speeding up and flush covering her cheeks, she glanced between then two of them-both unaware of the other's presence. For the briefest of flashes she considered alerting James to where she stood. Instead she trotted after William thick brush.

 _He had had his chance to reconnect with her the past few days._ She huffed a breath and stretched her neck as she followed Will.

              As they slipped their feet into the warm sand, she glanced back over her shoulder. She had not been seen. James would not know she was down here-with Will no less. That did nothing for her racing heart though. She really needed to just take a deep breath and calm down. So she did-or at least gave it her best effort.

“Alright we’re alone now William, explain yourself.” She demanded as she plopped down into the gritty soil beside him.

             "Well there is not much to explain really, I was searching as you know for my father,” He had the decency to blush at the admission.

They both knew he had chosen his father over her and that decision had flung a series of events into motion that had not stopped until they were here beside each other-miles apart.

            “You were with Jack.” He was reverent in his whisper and peaked up at her under his lashes.

She narrowed her eyes. _What was that supposed to mean?_

                “Then that night, you remember my father-” He picked up a small twig from the sand and rolled it between his fingers. “-he stabbed me. Then you were gone-” the twig snapped between his white knuckled fingers. “-then I was in the brig, I don’t know how long-” he tossed the shorter of the two pieces of driftwood. “-then Jack shows up and I am set free, I was still pretty out of it, till we arrived at the Port and I was handed off to some hospital and now here I am.” He stuck the stick into the sand standing tall.

               “Here you are.” She echoed her mind a cloud. _Why had Jack helped Will? Furthermore what did he want in return? How was Will gonna live now? What would James think?_ That one struck her. _What difference did James’ opinion make on the subject?_

“So I suppose I have you to thank.” He drew her from her mind’s cave.

“I’m sorry what?” She looked at him again squinting. Surely she had heard him wrong.

               “I assume it was you that sent Jack after me. No doubt he would do anything you willed done.” The quietness of his voice cut.

_He didn’t think-Did he think that Jack was anything to her?_

She glared into his eyes. There it was, his gaze shifted from hers to the ground and finally back to her.

_He did!_

                  She nearly laughed were it not for his evident pain. “Will, I have not seen Jack since that night. We parted then and I was later rescued and brought back to the Port a week after I saw you stabbed. I’ve thought you were dead this whole time and I have hardly given Jack a second thought.”

His face brightened, eyebrows lifting, color returning to his cheeks.

_Was there a fire in his eyes?_

“Miss Swann that means that-” He was on his knees in a moment at her side with nearly uncontrolled relief. Reaching over her to grasp her hand, he pulled all four of their hands together. “I have not even allowed myself to dream that Jack would let you go!”

                 Her jaw fell open just a bit. “I was never his to keep.” She lifted one brow.

He edged closer lifting her right hand and kissing it. “I was foolish to leave you like I did- If you would only give me a second chance, Miss Swann I would-”

                 She couldn’t let him continue. “It’s actually-” he was lifting her left hand as she spoke just in time to see the ring. “-Elizabeth Norrington now.”

It was doubtful she could have hurt him more, had she personally driven that knife into his heart.

He froze. Staring at the ring, he kept his head bent low.

She watched the top of his head as the information sunk in. Finally a single tear fell upon her hand.

He let out a shaky breath hot upon her hand. Clearing his throat, he lifted his head but had would not bring his eyes to meet hers.

             “How long?” It was no more than a mummer.

“I beg your pardon?” She rubbed at the wetness on her hand as his dropped hers unceremoniously.

He sat back and looked out over the water before licking his upper lip and then biting down on the lower one. “How long did you wait before you married him?” His voice turned cold.

             “Are you serious?” She sat up a little taller.

“I understand you going after Jack, he’s everything you ever wanted-Adventure, risk, romance, fun, excitement.” Another tear slipped down his cheek from the well spring that seemed to suddenly well up in his dark eyes. “But Captain-”

“-Admiral,” His brow shifted and he gave a short nod acknowledging her correction as he continued, now finding it in himself to look at her. “-James Norrington? He’s dependable, quiet, cold, reserved, harsh, rule following. How long after you returned did you give up on all the things you held in high esteem and stoop so low as to marry Admiral James Norrington-”

            It hit somewhere odd as James listened to William Turner speak of him so from his place in the bushes behind them. He had only just arrived. In truth he was in search of Elizabeth, he owed her an explanation and a warning of William’s presence but it would seem she was right at home like this. If the ocean was good for one thing it was helpful in hiding sound and made it a near cakewalk for him to approach. Though now it seemed a bit of a curse.

           “-what ever possessed you to marry the likes of him?” The disbelief in William’s voice was so thick James could have sliced through it with his saber.

Turner’s words were carried easy enough as he was turned toward James but Elizabeth’s reply was only a slight mummer and quite undecipherable.

           William flopped down into the sand beside her listening attentively. He was watching her intently and the hair on the back of James neck seemed to stand on end as he confined himself to remain as he was-a silent observer. After a few moments Elizabeth’s shoulders began to shake. Will edged closer till finally he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. The last few weeks of little to no sleep and rationed food suddenly seemed to catch up with James as he felt his head become light and his body go a little numb. Still he watched as a guard standing by, unable to become involved unless summoned by the commander of his heart.

           She rubbed her face against William’s chest and her shoulders shook harder spasming down to the rest of her body. Slowly her legs curled up and with them James’ stomach. He had seen men be slaughtered with dull blades in battle, he’d watched more than he’d ever wanted to see as men dropped to their deaths at the gallows, he’d had his own body torn in battle but none of those things had half the effect as this sight did.

          Turning, he staggered up the hill. The further he got, the more his vision blurred and by the time he made it to the top of this hill he was heavily winded and stumbling with every step. As he cut through the overgrown thick grasses beside the house, his foot caught on a small hole. Careening into the corner of the house, he doubled over and what little food was in his gut spewed out of his throat.

          She still loved William, he had known it all along.

_It was no secret. What did he expect?_

          If he brought Turner home she would only naturally fall into his arms and mourn her marriage to James. With an inattentive hand he wiped the saliva from his chin. But his stomach wasn’t finished with him and he bent again, bile this time heaving up and burning his nostrils.

_Why was everything so cold?_

He shivered. Shoving himself up, he continued his journey to the back door.

“Hester,” He called as he leaned against the door way. “Hester are you here?”

The older lady appeared at the end of the hall. “Admiral, you’re as white as a sheet.” She quickened her pace till she was holding his arm.

Reaching up, she touched his brow. “And you’re burning up!” She steadied him a bit by the elbow. “Can you make it up to your bed Sir?”

“Yes, yes, I only wanted to ask you if you could bring some water to me when I head up there.-” He shoved himself away from the door frame and crossed the entryway to the bottom of the stairs. “I am a little out of sorts.”

               He gripped the railing and slowly made his way up the stairs.

“Why of course sir, won’t be a moment.” She watched him as he trudged up and he felt his skin warm near his cheeks.

_He was quite fine._

He shook his head and let out a breath.

_He was an idiot, and out of his mind for bringing William back to Port Royal, when he could have seen to Turner’s safety at any of the other ports, but no, he just had to bring him back to her! But besides being a lunatic he was perfectly fine. He’d brought this upon himself and he would control his reaction to it._

             He growled as he reached his door and stepping into his room firmly closed it behind him. Her image cuddling in Turner’s comforting arms replayed itself in his mind and his jaw clenched so tight the muscle cramped. Flopping down in his bed, he closed his eyes. He would only close them for a moment. He could afford that.

* * *

                When he opened them again, all was dark around him save for the golden hue that glowed from his dresser.

_Why was the air thick?_

It was as though a cloud had settled into all the spaces surrounding him.

_And why was it so cold in here? Was Joseph not lighting the fires as he was supposed to? Joseph had seemed a very responsible man. Surely he would not forget the fires._

James lifted himself onto his elbow.

_If Joseph wasn’t going to light the fires James could do it himself._

            “No, lay still James.” That voice was so familiar. It was soft and feminine. Foreboding and warming at the same time.

His eyes squinted. _Where had he heard it before?_

             There in the shadows, he caught the movement as her hand came to rest on his shoulder gently pressing down till he complied and fell back onto the pillow. As she leaned forward her face came into the light. As if to slap him in the face, the voice connected with her person and his memory flashed.

_Elizabeth. But why was she here? Why would she be in his bedroom-or was he on his ship?_

He waited. _No rocking, he was in his bedroom for sure. But if she was here-why was she here?_

           “Elizabeth, why are you-why aren’t you-it’s so cold you need your shawl.” He looked around but couldn’t see much of anything. “Here,” he reached for his coat. It wasn’t on him.

_When had he taken it off? Why couldn’t he remember?_

“Look I just had my coat, it’s got to be-” he began to sit up and the world about him spun. Closing his eyes, he exhaled deeply.

            “James I told you quite firmly I think, that you are not to sit up. Lay still and rest. Unless you’re thirsty, then of course here.” She reached for a glass that was on the dresser.

              _Oh yes water! Ester must have forgotten it earlier. Wait-why hadn’t he just gotten it himself? What had been happen- It hit him again-Turner._

He gruffly sighed and flopped back into the bedding and the world around him vanished.

* * *

             She watched him as he slept. The room was musty. She stood and walked to the window. Slowly as possible, she opened it to let some fresh air inside.

_James must truly be suffering if he thinks it’s cold._

She laid her head against the back of the tall chair she’d been occupying for the last three days.

_How was it possible for days to drag on painstakingly slow and yet when glanced back on seem to fly like a north wind?_

James shifted, his eyes closed but restless, his lips silently mouthing words. Every once in a while a word or a small string of words fell from his lips in a choked and strangled fashion. If the sweat on his brow was anything to go by, his fever had broken an hour or so ago. But that was hardly anything to be trusted as it had a nasty habit of breaking only to return a short while later and the cycle would repeat itself. As she glanced about his room in the early light she noted the deep blue of the walls. Her eyes fell on the dresser. Atop the dresser a loose sheet of paper partially slipped into a leather-bound book not unlike the one he had given her caught the light breeze that waft through the window and with it her attention.

_What was this?_

She leaned forward, the book was across the room on the second dresser but she had keen eyes. A light sigh drew her back to the man in the bed though. He stirred again.

_What had he done at sea to run himself so ragged that he would be so sick?_

She shook her head as she fiddled with her night gown.

_Three days ago she had found out Will was still alive. Yesterday she had sat here all day and night worrying that this man-this man who really was the most infuriating-_

He opened his eyes and her heart jumped. Though they were a little foggy from sleep, his eyes were free of the fever haze.

She leaned forward. “James,” she whispered.

            “James?”

His eyes languidly slurred over to find her face.

         She smiled down at him gently. “Hey there,”

He looked blankly at her. Then his eyes closed and he sighed. He cleared his throat and tried to swallow a few times.

         “Elizabeth, what’s going on?” His eyes never opened. “How did you get here?”

She rolled her eyes. _That was the question on his mind, really?_  

         “Ester told me what happened-she knew something was off to start with as  you called her 'Hester' and I wasn’t about to let you be here alone while you were sick.”

His eyes slowly pulled open with much obvious concentration. “You needn't have-”

        “-hush. I am quite familiar with your views on me helping you.” She poured a little water on a rag and wiped his forehead only as she pulled her hand back did she look down at his eyes again. They were riveted on her in a slightly strained fashion.

She sighed. “You came and went off and on over the last three days, you had a thing or two to say.” She shrugged sitting back in the wooden chair.

         By now the sun quite powerfully cast itself in his window and splashed its golden rays over him.

He looked quite angelic like that really. “I’m sorry for-”

        “-inconveniencing me,” She shook her head and dropped the rag into the basin on his dresser. “Yes, I know.”

She reached up and scratched the back of her neck. “I’m so glad you’re awake. Do you think you could keep something down? I could ring for Ester.” She offered as she leaned forward a bit.

He shook his head after a moment. “I’m not hungry at all.”

       “That hardly means you don’t need to-”

“-did you say three days?”

She looked at him. Everything was coming a little slowly it seemed, but on the bright side at least it was coming. “Yes James, three days.”

       His head fell back into the pillow. He sighed and then swallowed. “I need to get back to the fort.” He pushed himself up on his elbows the sheets around him sliding off his chest, he was in his night shirt. She and Ester had called Joseph in to help with that ordeal. James was a tall man and well muscled. He was much too heavy for her alone to lift-especially when his weight was all limp and unhelpful like the dead.

“James, James,” her tone grew more threatening with each utterance of his name. “James stop.” She was leaning over him again and firmly pressing his shoulders again into the bed.

        He looked up at her his eyes a flurry of emotions. His eyebrows dipped for a second and then he search her eyes in a way that sent shocks through her and a warmth that filled her chest.

“Why are you doing this?” He asked quietly. He was not fighting her anymore and his shoulders relaxed under her hand.

        “Doing what James?” She stood still as if chained in her position unable to move herself is she willed it.

“Helping me, like this.” He never gave up their eye contact but gestured to himself in the bed and her hovering over him.

She let out and exasperated sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed.

       “James,” she rubbed his arm closest to her. “Do you really think me so cruel as to leave you in bed alone as you fight off a fever?”

He just stared blankly at her.

       “Am I really so irresponsible that I would leave my husband’s tending to someone else while I continue my day to day life?”

_Why was her throat getting sore? Was she catching what he had?_

       He continued to watch her but at her last question his eyes fell to her hand for a brief glance before lifting back to her face. Those green eyes were windows truly to the man within. Yet they seemed to effortlessly draw away her guards and she had to break contact lest he know what she was feeling. The warmth in her cheeks likely gave away anything he'd missed.

_This was no time for blushing like a school girl. She didn’t even care for him. So why was her heart speeding up under his honest gaze?_

       She took a quick breath.

“Surely you have put in your time here though, I think I have come out of my fever if the dampness of my shirt is any indication.” He glanced at his sweaty cotton covered chest.

_He didn’t want her there. And he did quite seem okay. He was right she could safely leave him._

She stood up, running her hand across her own gown.

_Wait she was still in her night gown!_

                She blushed again. She’d never been in his presences this undone since that fateful day Jack walked into their lives. She quickly reached over and took her shawl from the back of the chair and wrapped herself in it.

“Shall I wait for you at breakfast?” She looked one last time down at him.

His eyes were cast down. He’d noticed too then, well that was just wonderful.

“I-n” his voice caught and he swallowed before he finished. “No that is I may be awhile. There’s no need to wait for me.”

_He really did want space then?_

“Alright then. Will I see you in the fields?” His expression changed to slight regret to pain. “I’m, not sure it would be best for me to entirely disregard my duties at the fort. But I was able to look over your efforts in the fields. Thank you, truly, for all that you have done with it. I am under no delusions that our crops overseeing is entirely in your care. I spoke with Joseph about it and he has told me what you have done.”

                 “It is quite a wife’s duty nothing to be dramatic about.” She muttered.

_No wife that she knew._

But then all the wives she knew had entirely different relationships with their husbands.

                 “Well I still am indebted to you for your care and attention to it. Especially in the early days if they're not cared for the little plants will die and nothing will grow.”

 

_That's what she'd been telling him earlier-oh but that had been Will-oh Will! James didn't even know he was alive-let alone back in Port Royal!_

              “Listen James,” Her heart was sinking low in her chest pounding slowly. “I, that is,”

Why was this so hard?

             “Will has returned.” She forced herself to meet his eyes again but he wasn’t looking at her.

He had sat up in the bed and his legs were draped over the side the long shirt covering one of his knees the other slightly exposed.

             “I know.” He whispered quietly his eyes trained on the ground.

_He knew? But how? He couldn’t have seen-oh dear no! Had he seen them talking? Or worse yet, heard them talking?_

             “You, you know?”

The tremble in her voice was hopefully not as obvious as she felt just then.

              “Yes, I saw him,” He bracketed his body between his arms as the held strong on the frame of his bed.

“You-?” She whispered her throat suddenly closing in on itself.

              “Yes, in town yester-well it must have been a few days ago.” He reconsidered. “Since I have been evidently in this bed for a few days.”

Her head became a little light and she sighed placing a hand on her chest.

But he wasn’t finished. “Have you seen him?” He asked looking at her still.

She swallowed.

_What was she to say to that? Yes, in fact I was weeping in his arms on the day I found you ill? That would be just brilliant!_

Still she did owe him something. “Yes.”

             He nodded his eyes dropping back to the ground. There was relief in his eyes for a moment before he let them fall and the war that waged against itself in his face was both confusing and intriguing.

           “I did not even know he was alive.” She offered hoping that would sooth him a bit.

His ears shifted backward. “So when we wed, you thought him dead?”

           Her eyes slowly closed. _That’s what you drew from that?_

“Yes.” She could barely hear herself, it was doubtful really that he could.

          But he swallowed hard and there was no question. He’d heard her. “And now he’s back-alive.” He took in a labored breath. “If you’ll excuse me,” He ran his fingers through his somewhat grown out hair. “I need to dress and, and,” he forced out that strangled breath. “I am expected no doubt at the fort.” His tone was cold and calm again.

            _He really had nothing else to say? To ask?_

“Yes, yes of course. I’ll let you do that.” She walked toward the door and paused as her hand reached the knob.

         “Elizabeth,” She did not move but listened. “Looking after me was not required of you.”

She couldn’t stay facing the door. “Is it not? Then pray tell me what is? I am a woman with no expectations of her! I am a wife with no duties! You’re gone more than you’re here! Why did you want a wife James?” As she continued her voice became higher her breath hotter. “You hardly even look at me and never come near if you can help it let alone even request anything of me besides taking care of your fields! Was there even a reason besides my father’s name that you wanted to marry me?” A tear slipped down her cheek. “I know what it is to be wanted James.” She spat but his eyes flickered to the ground and he flinched at her words.

_What had she said now?_

She rolled her eyes as her jaw quivered. “I thought I saw desire in you before you left but after you were gone the only letters I received from you requested my running the farm, not a word about anything personal between us and when you returned you are more distant and quiet than I have EVER SEEN YOU!” She was out of breath. “I honestly wonder why you even wanted to marry me!”

                His jaw flexed and his thumb trembled on his knee. After a long moment he spoke. “I only wanted to say I was grateful and thank you.” His tone was so gentle it sounded as though he was comforting a child.

                _Why was he so confusing all the time?_ She nodded her head and opened the door and quickly stepped out.

 

* * *

 

               “Ahh!” She yelled as she reached the beach. “That man!I could just strangle him!”

“That bad aye?”

                 She nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun in the direction of the voice. “Will when did you get here?”

He slumped off the tree stump he was slouching on. Slowly he staggered over to her. “I’ve been here the whole time.” He slurred pointing a finger in her direction and he wandered a bit in a circle about her. His resemblance to Jack in this moment was striking.

                “Me and my friend here have been having a nice chat.” He lifted a nearly empty bottle.

Her eyes picked up a few others against the tree he’d been sitting on.

                “Will have you drunk all of those over the past few days?” Her eyebrow lifted on it’s end.

“Of course not, had I drunk them,” his lip caught under his teeth as he scratched the side of his head and squinted his eyes.

                Clearly talking was not his highest functioning skill at the moment.

“Had I drunk them over the last few days they’d be in the sea with their brothers.” He shook his hand which still held the bottle toward the ocean. “No, I have drunk these today and last evening only.” He nodded exaggeratedly with his eyes closed.

                _Would all the men in her life end up this way at some point?_ She shook her head. _Jack, James for a time, and now Will. What a happy lot they were._

  
“So your man has disappointed you huh?” Will squinted at her.  
               

                 She rolled her eyes.

  
“I am hardly going to speak to you about it Will, especially when you’re drunk out of your mind. This is not healthy.” She waved a hand in the direction of all the empty containers. “You cannot do this to yourself.”

  
             “Health is hardly a great concern for me at the moment luv.” Will grumbled tipping the bottle to his lip.

Reaching up, she knocked the bottle from his hand to the ground. “You would never dare even call me by my name before I was married and now you call me ‘luv’? I am not your love William Turner. And-”

  
              “-oh but you are.” He held her gaze and his words shot right through her.

She took a step back. “Well I’m not anymore. What we were can never be and what we had is gone forever.” Her words cut even her as she spoke them but she didn’t want to give him hope when there was none to be had here.

  
               “We’ve both given that up. You when you chose your father, me when I married James.”

He huffed shaking his head.

                “But,” she would not let him off that easy. “There is more out there for you. I’m sure you’ll find a girl who you’ll sweep off her feet.” She edges closer to him her voice lowering. “I have no doubt. You’re a fine catch William Turner.” A tear slips down her cheek. “ A girl would have to be,” she broke off there. There was not much else she could say about that.

  
               “But this,” She gestured to him from head to foot and back up. “This won’t do. Will you have so much more potential. You are quite the finest silver or black smith I have ever seen. Put your mind back to your work and get some real food in you.” She ordered gently.

  
                He sighed.

It seemed all the fight had left him quite quickly as she began to speak.

               He stepped over to her and lifted his hand to her cheek. “Will you always see potential in those around you?” His eyes were teary and the words poured over his lips in a sloppy blundering struggle.

She rolled her eyes as another tear slipped down. “Hardly,” she flatly rejected. “But in you, in you I will.” She reached up and grasped his wrist turning her face to kiss his palm one last time.

  
              “This is goodbye then?” He choked.

She shook her head. “No,” she whispered, her throat burning. “This is the end of what was, but the beginning of what could be. We’ll be friends no doubt forever.”

              He nodded in agreement.

“Oh come now let’s not part so soon!”

             Again she jumped and whipped around. This time the sight was much less amicable. There stood Cutler Beckett three men at his side.

“Interesting how things play out.” He casually looked at his fingers as he rubbed them together. “This is no doubt the young renegade who you stole the pardon for? And now you’re with some other unlucky fellow. Although I doubt he sees it that way.”

              _If he only knew how wrong he was there! They might all have a good laugh at it, were it not for the overwhelming pain._

Elizabeth’s heart raced as she glanced from him to each of his men and back to him. Will wrapped his arm around her front and pushed her behind him.

              “Who are you?” He demanded.

“Who am I? Now that is the question is it not?” Beckett continued to look at his fingernails turning them this way and that. “I am the man who knows more than either of you put together. I am the man who controls things you know not, and at times whispers in the ear of the king.” He sighed folding his hands and finally looking up to meet their wary gazes. “I am the man who owns most of the seas and what I don’t it appears you do your majesty.” He cocked his eyebrow at Elizabeth. “I am the man who will conquer all the oceans and do what I will when I wish. I am Lord Cutler Beckett, you’re new master.”

             At his last words his right hand fell to his side and his left fingers snapped in Elizabeth and Will’s direction and his men walked toward them.         

Elizabeth turned to run but slammed into the chest of a fourth man and a few others stood around them.

             They were trapped.


	7. A Lost Prize Unaware

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So the very fist part of this chapter kind of overlaps the end of the last chapter. After we hit the first page break we'll be caught up to time with the last part of the last chapter. It should make sense...but please let me know if it doesn't. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, reviewing and commenting! 
> 
> Please enjoy!

In silence James listened as the door closed gently across the hall and her light footsteps strode on the wood floors and down the steps. With his door just barely cracked open it wasn’t hard to track her movements. Slowly he stood and walked over to the window as he heard the front door close below. With a sigh, he watched from his window as Elizabeth crossed the green and strode down the path toward her beach.

_It was her beach._

He had never much thought of it any other way from first he saw it. He gently rubbed the corner of his right eye with his thumb and closed his eyes tightly as she disappeared down into the brush.

  
_What had he done? Yesterday had been one mistake after another._ Their whole discussion, if you could call it that, had left him in a murky and hazy state. _She was upset because he had not asked anything of her? Or perhaps it was seeing Will that had her discontented here, with him._ It was entirely plausible. A calculated risk he’d been willing to take when he set out to find her long lost love. Perhaps he should have recalculated before taking the risk. Then again, he had told her at the beginning if she wished to leave-oh hang what he had told her! No! He was a man of his word and if Elizabeth wanted to leave-but she was finally his wife, and there for a moment she had seemed happy, it had been months ago now and how selfish of him was it to want her to stay here while he-

  
“Ahh,” The screaming head-ache seemed to accelerate with his racing thoughts. He sat down and held his head between both hands. Squeezing closed of their own accord; his eyes flash bright colors in the darkness of his mind. In deep breaths, James forced air in and out of his lungs as he sat in the window seat. These pains in his head came and went sometimes but they never seemed to be in a convenient moment. He would sit here till it cleared then he would see about work at the fort, he needed to catch up and see what was happening there. Clearly, Elizabeth needed some time and space. He would give it to her.

* * *

 

After a long day of rigorous cleanup work on the ship, James trudged into the doorway of his new house. _Their new house._ Whichever it was. He hardly was there enough to even know it. As he passed the dining room, he glanced in. Set and waiting, food and dishes covered the table in elegance.  
“Elizabeth?” He called dragging his hat from his head. Silence answered him.

Perhaps she was ignoring him. With a sigh, he ascended the steps and walked to his room. Gently closing the door behind him, he reached up and began to unpin the wig from his hair. Setting it on the dresser he began to strip his coat off. The house was deathly quiet. Not a creak of a footstep, not a spoon scraping a pan, not a door opening or closing. _It was just as well._ If she didn’t want to talk with him, he could handle that. Better than having nothing to say and being expected to give an account. Then again clearly she didn’t seem to be aware of his involvement in bringing William back. _What was he going to say if she found out anyway?_  
_Oh yes dear-_  
His mind froze mid hypothetical excuse at the automatic use of the endearment. _She would never allow that._ _Better to not even think of it._ He took a deep breath, cleared his mind and headed back to the dining room.

  
At the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and let his hand linger on the rail. “Ester?” He called out and then the first sound since he had returned echoed out of the kitchen. Quietly the woman stepped out into the hall in the doorway.

  
“Sir?” she approached on gentle feet.

“Ester, has Mrs.-has she eaten already?”

  
Her eyes softened. Slowly she shook her head. “I’ve been out most of the day sir, we needed a few things and I only returned a short while ago, I haven’t seen her.”

He nodded his eyes trailing into the dining room. “Thank you Ester.”

  
She curtsied and headed back to the kitchen. “Ester?”

  
“Yes sir?” She turned back toward him.

  
“Will you and Joseph join us for dinner?” He asked on impulse wishing for someone to talk to or at least just be around. It was entirely uncustomary but the emptiness in his chest was throbbing.

  
“Sir?” Her brows furrowed and her hands clasped together much like his mother’s used to.

  
“I know it is not a common occurrence. If you would be inconvenienced or uncomfortable-”

“-it wou’d be an honor sir.” The right side of her lip curved up gently. “I’ll just go and fetch Joseph.”

  
“Thank you I’ll just go see if Elizabeth will be joining us.” He glanced up toward her room.  
Turning, he quickly made his way back up the stairs, passed his door and headed toward her room. At her door he hesitated, licking his bottom lip. He held up his hand for a few moments before he leaned forward and gently knocked. After a moment, he knocked again. All was quiet.

  
“Elizabeth?” He called willing his voice through the door. Once he’d waited a few more moments, he slowly dropped his hand to the doorknob and twisted it. Creaking in resistance to his intrusion, the door seemed to increase his heart beat.

  
_What was he doing? This was her room. Clearly she had no interest in interacting with him or she would have answered._

  
Quickly he pulled the door back and firmly closed it without intruding further. Nodding to himself. He turned and headed back down.  
At the bottom of the stairs, Joseph and Ester were already waiting for him. Even with his heart heavy, the sight of two people willingly joining him, not because they had nowhere else to eat or nothing else to eat warmed him a little.

  
            “Thank you for joining me.” He managed to nearly smile at them.

  
“Sir are you sure you want us to join you at your table?” Joseph asked glancing at his wife as if he doubted her.

  
            “Yes of course.” James assured striding toward the dining room with an arm directing them. “Here, please?” He waved toward the chairs to the right and left of his own. It was a bit ridiculous, James never needed people to talk to. Still at this moment, he knew his own company was just too much for him to stand alone.

  
            “Please tell me Joseph,” he began as they sat and he began serving them. The protest to what he was doing was clear in both their eyes still he could not care less about the social incorrectness of his actions. He continued. “How has the farm been doing?”  
Joseph hesitated still watching James fork green-beans onto Ester’s plate. “It’s, it’s very well sir, Mrs. Norrington has done the best of jobs caring for it and it has grown quite strong and healthy.”

  
James nodded sitting down as the last of the food was served. “She is quite a woman isn’t she?” He spoke before he could rethink it. Flush reached his cheeks.

  
Ester looked down graciously and Joseph smiled knowingly.

  
               “She is the best of English women I’ve met sir.” Joseph acknowledged glancing across at his wife and she nodded her agreement.  
James smiled at his food thankful for their gentleness. “Yes she is. Tell me, where are you from Joseph?” Again the words were out before he could think better of it.  
A sadness shot into Joseph’s eyes and he forked his food.

              “I’m sorry, that was thoughtless of me.”

  
“It’s alright Sir. A small village in Africa. It was not much but, it was home.” He smiled wistfully his eyes absently traveling from James’ to Esters and then they seemed to glaze a bit as he recalled his home. “But as I’m sure you know, home is only ever the place your loved ones are. Now this is my home.” His eye focused on his wife and the older woman contentedly smiled back at him.

  
_If only he knew that to be true. In thought of course it could be so. He had yet to know it from actual experience. This great house was cold, drafty, and entirely lacking life, warmth and anything really that resembled a home._ It was a small chance to none that it would ever spark to life now that Will was here. She had been honest to tell him that Turner was here. Although she’d completely left out the details of the beach which when he considered those made the _none_ side of chance much more likely. Again, it was _not_ her fault he’d brought William back. _She had not even known he was alive; would she even have married him had she known? Not likely._  
The sound of the spoon clattering to his plate as it slipped from his forgotten fingers startled him out of his reflective state. He blinked.

“Were you both in your village?” He glanced from one to the other.  
Ester nodded. “It was a great miracle that we were brought here together.”  
James didn’t need the map charted out for him. They had been taken from their home forcibly. It was not shock but it was repulsive just the same.  
“Others were not as blessed as us.” Joseph nearly whispered. Ester shot him a harsh look.  
“It’s alright; you’ll not be condemned here. Not by me. I know what it is to be dealt a hand that is beyond your control and criticized for things that cannot be helped.” James assured her.

  
She looked at him reluctantly and seemed to see the pain in his eyes. _Surely, he was not such an open book._ Except to her apparently.

              “Please, share only what you will, but know that I am mindful of the truth that things are not always-or even often as they should be when cruel man is involved. I would like to hear whatever you are willing to share.”

She looked over at Joseph and they seemed to speak through their eyes. An uneasy silence settled over them.  
            “Please tell me,” James cleared his throat. “Is there anything here that Elizabeth feels lacking?”  
His choice in changing the subject seemed welcome.

“No sir, she has everything she wants as far as I am aware.” Joseph assured.

“You will let me know if there is anything that she seems to need and lacks.” James glanced from one to the other again.  
They both nodded in agreement.

Dinner was finished not much later and they gathered the dishes and cleared them to the kitchen. Again Ester seemed hesitant to accept help but James insisted firmly. After the meal was cleared, he bid them good night and thanked them for joining him. Then he headed up to his own room and finding his bed fell into it. The day had drained him more than he would have realized. But as he lay there his mind drifted back to their conversation over dinner. Joseph and Ester had been stolen from their home and all they knew and they considered themselves blessed, knowing that others had suffered worse.

_What kind of man deemed himself any better than another to the point he cared not for the interests of others at all?_

No man was better than another. It indeed was a delusional madman who’s pride and selfishness had puffed himself up to such a place as those who had ruthlessly done this to people such as Joseph and Ester. Joseph and Ester had been slaves; they must have traveled here by boat. By boat-

  
His mind skidded to a halt. He was an admiral. He was an admiral who personally spoke with former slaves, former slaves who would know the likes of men that did this. His mind which had only moments ago seemingly stopped moving flung itself forward in ideas. He needed to speak with Joseph first thing in the morning!

 

* * *

 

What he was about to do was neither backed by law nor generally agreed with. He had been given a purpose though and that was something he’d needed for a while. He ached for Elizabeth to return his affection but he was under no delusions that she likely would and now that William was back he had yet to see Elizabeth more than once. Although she’d had the courage to tell him that Turner was here and had stayed with him when he was ill, she seemed to have no issue with leaving him now. In her defense, he had basically said he didn’t need her. It wasn’t his intent but, he’d stumbled over the words and made a mess of it.

_Story of their relationship. Who could blame her really? Why would she want a man who spoke but little, was hardly even there and made her feel unneeded, albeit accidentally, when she could have a dashing younger man with adventure and freedom as his guide? Will was warm and_

_-_ he really needed to stop comparing them. The fact was that he had not seen Elizabeth for a few days and it was no doubt of design. He wanted to tell her he was heading out again but she seemed bent on not being around.

With a heavy sigh, James slipped a folded note under her door and straitened up. Fixing his coat and securing the last button on his neck, he quietly walked down the steps. With one last glance up at her door, he closed the large wooden one he stood next to and strode over to his coach. Normally he would just take his horse to town, but since he’d be sailing this afternoon there was no point in sending someone from the farm into town to collect the steed and bring him back.

Two hours later James stood on the top deck of his ship glaring out ahead. Sharp eyes scanned the horizon. Now for his plan to work, they would have to play this very carefully.

_How do you take traders’ ships that were likely protected by the king?_

They’d make it work. He just needed a little time to clear his head and solidify his plan of action.

* * *

 

Three days later, as James sat in his quarters bent over a map the shout of a young boy rang out from above.

 “Eight points off the port bow!”

James looked up from the table at Theo who stood across from him. Rising to his feet, he stepped around the desk and headed out the door. As they approached port side, James pulled his spy-glass out and peered out toward the ship.

There in the waters, sailing parallel to them, a pirate ship.

 

Huh, well that works too! He shrugged.

 

“After them!” He called and the entire ship which had fallen to a hush sprang into action.

* * *

As they neared the ship, all remained deathly quiet. Not a sole was in sight. James’ eyes narrowed.

_What were they playing at? Come to think of it, they hadn’t seemed to make any efforts to escape._

Barrels lay scattered on the deck. Intertwining in disarray rope wound through broken railing. Splintered wood speckled the deck.

Once they pulled up alongside, the gun windows on its starboard side suddenly opened and round shot burst forth peppering the siding of the Vindication’s Port side.

“Return fire!” James shouted. “Groves boarding party!”

Theo nodded and dashed away.

The cracking of black powder below echoed up as puffs of smoke rose. Since no men stood on deck of the smaller vessel boarding her was no problem at all. A wave of men following Groves swung across and landed in various ways aboard the pirate ship.

“Mr. Jacobs if you will.” James called to another man who stood waiting with five more men ready to board as well. Their signal having been given, they leapt across ropes in hand.

“Continue on and come about Mr. Thomson!” He called to the lead wheel man.

“Aye Sir!”

The men who had boarded all disappeared below and moments later metal clanking and guns shrieking muffled by the ship siding called out mixed with the cries and shouts of men.

 

An hour later a lone surviving free man from the boarded ship,-

 

_The Siren’s Luv, was it?  No matter.-_   

 

Stood waiting his sentence.

 

The kings' officers' coat on his shoulders and ruined wig atop his head were both smeared with dirt, mud and blood. Most the bodies wore simple white shirts and dark brown trousers. It was nothing very nice but much more orderly than the common pirate crew had.

“Do tell me, pirate,” James circled the man, his men in a larger circle around him. “Where did you learn your tactics?” 

The man glared at him.

_No bragging then? Interesting._

“Are you the captain?”

The man fixed his eyes forward lifting his chin.

James shrugged and stopped before him.

“Why was your crew so small?” James kept his eyes on the man but spoke louder.

“How many did you say Mr. Groves?”

“45 sir.”

“45, hmm. Small indeed.” He raised one eyebrow as he tilted his head and continued to walk. “Brutal though. Well deserving of their deaths I think.” He strode on slowly.

“How many found locked in the cells?”

“20 sir.”

“Twenty locked in their cells. Half starved. Mutiny of undecided, disloyal, scoundrels perhaps.” He held his left wrist in his right hand and continued his walk.

“Still, less to have to execute I suppose.”

Once again he stopped before the man. “You still have nothing to say?”

The man was unmoving. “Would you care to share where you retrieved these? I doubt they were freely given.” He touched the man’s shoulder, gently lifting the coat on the corner.

“Very well, have it your way. We have a pirate who, I can only assume killed an officer of the king to strip him of his coat and is now masquerading as one of the kings' soldiers both punishable by hanging.”

 As if suddenly coming to life, the man lunged at James. He easily landed a blow to James’ unsuspecting nose. Wrenching away and standing up, James looked at the man who was instantly apprehended by the surrounding officers. Throbbing at the beat of his heart, his nose instantly felt swollen. A resounding ache matching the one in his nose shot through his head looping his skull in a melodic manner climaxing and dying and repeating. 

“Well, I suppose none of us wants to face their crimes when it comes down to it. Some do with more grace, others with less.” He pinched his nose where the blood flowed down.

“I cannot condemn you though I think the Governor will have no problem doing so.”

He wiped his nose and fixed his coat. “Lock him up below. He will be judged with those left living who are securely locked up.”

Shoving his shoulders against the men who held him fast, the unnamed man was drug below.

 

“Well Sir, what should we do about this ship?” Groves asked looking at the tired looking vessel.

James nodded scanning it for needed repairs. “Have Jacobs meet me in my quarters.”

 

Ten minutes later, Callum Jacobs stood before James’ desk hat in hand. “Sir, Lieutenant Groves said you asked for me.” His deep voice held even and calm. The tapping of the paper in his hand against the hard wood of the desk clicked contemplatively. 

“Yes, have a seat Mr. Jacobs.” James motioned with an open palm toward the chair before the man. Slowly the big man pulled the wooden chair out and stepping around it sunk down.

“We seem to have one too many ships on our hands and I have no intention of lugging around this dead weight or heading back to port yet either so, it has come to my attention that it needs to head back to Port Royal for repairs and,” he paused and looked at the man cold in the eyes. “You are the man to captain her back.”

Jacobs’ eyes widened and the undisturbed demeanor dropped away. “Sir?” He leaned forward. “Isn’t this a job for Lieutenant Groves?”

James sighed and shook his head. “No Jacobs, I have chosen you. Now, I will have Groves prepare forty men to join you. I expect you to go right to Port Royal report to Governor Swann give him these,” he two sealed envelopes in the man’s now shaking hand. “And see to it that the Siren’s Luv begins her repairs right away. I expect it to be finished long before I return. Is that understood Acting Captain Jacobs?”

Jacobs' jaw actually dropped open. He licked his lip and absently shook the hand that James offered.

“Yes Sir, Admiral that is.” He stood up and pale as though he’d seen a ghost, turned and quietly stepped out the door closing it behind him. Opening the door quickly, he poked his head back in. “Thank you Admiral.”

“See that you do a good job Captain Jacobs.”

“Yes Sir.” 

The door had closed no longer than a moment as James sat back down that it swung open once more.

_What else could Jacobs have to say?_

 

“Well I think that went well.” Groves strode in and James rolled his eyes.

          “Yes well you remember what it was like being midshipmen; it seems an age away from captaincy.” James looked at notes on the recently acquired ship. “Did you pick the departing crew?”

“Yes of course, what do you think I was doing while you were nattering on in here?” Groves plopped down into the chair carelessly.

                 “And did you tell them they were to set sail at first light?” James ignored Groves’ sass.

“Yes.” Theo raised one eyebrow slowly looking over at James.

                “And-”

“-yes another shift is cleaning the ship now and clearing the bodies.”

              “Good. It needs to be-”

“-ready to set sail three hours prior to departure time.”

_For once the man was on top of his job, even if he was rather cocky about it._

“Well then, is there something else?” James set down his logs and stared across at Groves, who stared back.

              “Will you always be this focused and straightforward James?”

“Most likely.” James turned his eyes back toward the book in his hands.

              “You were not always this dull. I distinctly remember a younger more carefree-fun Midshipmen Norrington.” Groves leaned forward and locked eyes with him.

“Yes well a fourteen year old young man looking for adventure over every billowing wave life pushes toward one is a great deal different from a twenty-six year old Admiral who has learned how dark and unforgiving the edges of said billows can really be. Life holds no guarantees and one must work as hard as one can to accomplish that which one wishes to. At least within the order of ranks and commands following a well-considered plan many goals are met.”

He finally lifted his eyes from the pages just in time to catch Groves’ rolling ones.

“Really James,” Groves stood up slowly. “If you love her that much, perhaps you ought to just man up and tell her. You’re wasting your time here stewing over what isn’t because you haven’t made the effort to court your own wife.”

James gawked at him. “I have given her everything I can imagine she wants.”

 

Groves shook his head. “You think she wants things? You don’t have a clue about women do you-your own wife in particular. She already had everything she wanted in her father’s house. And giving her things-though likely not unwelcome will not earn you her favor.”

James’ lower back stiffened on its own. _Had he been going about all this the wrong way?_

 His shoulders rolled back and set in place. 

“I have given her her space as well to adjust and learn life in a new world of a farm and marriage.”

                “Oh yes, that’s what every woman wants-space from her newly acquired groom.-Actually,” Groves bit his tongue and while squinting his eyes rocked his head from side to side. “-no doubt there would be some women who would want that. Especially if their marriages were to old men for money or status or you know to save their lives, or some such nonsense,” He let out a light laugh and looked over at James who’s heart had certainly stopped beating he was sure.

“But look at you, you’re young and healthy and not too bad on the eyes and she needed none of those things.” He smirked at his insulting joke, but narrowed his eyes again as he looked at James who had also stopped breathing and sat frozen in place staring at Theodor Groves.

                “She didn’t need any of those things, did she James?” His voice grew softer as he reached the end of his question-clearly less sure about his question.

 

Sudden flush burned James’ cheeks and he looked down.

 

              “You didn’t coerce her into marrying you did you James?”

 

James’ head shot up and he glared into Groves’ eyes.

 

             “I would never, force Elizabeth into anything she did not willingly agree to!” He didn’t mean for the words to edge their way like daggers through his clenched teeth. But Theo’s eyes widened. He was quite clever and there was no doubt he would start piecing things together.

             “You’ve not set to woo her because she didn’t want this marriage.” He whispered his eyes turned blank for a moment. James’ neck broke out in a cold sweat.

“James, I,” he stuttered for a brief moment. Then he shook his head and something of his old nonchalant expression found its way back onto his face.

He huffed a disbelieving breath. “No matter, what you think, that woman cares for you. I’ve seen it. She no doubt has her pride but she would not have married you if some part of her wasn’t okay with spending the rest of her life with you.”

He leaned forward and touched James’ shoulder gently. “She, I’m certain, is waiting for the strong and fearless Norrington she’s seen over and again on the seas in the face of battle or storm, to brave the tempests of war _that is_ the gaping silence between you two that you’ve no doubt created in your stoic self-deigning mannerisms.”

Had Theo reach across and landed a blow to his stomach James would have felt the same.

 

          “She loves Turner.” James’ eyes burned a little as his sight blurred. He would not cry. Not in front of Theo-no matter if they had grown up together, it was unbecoming.                  

Theo scoffed,

         “She may have once, but she married you. And if she was still in love with him, she never would have done that.”

“She thought he was dead.” His cold voice entertained no hope.

         “Oh that is tough.” Theo allowed shrugging. “Still I’ve seen the way she looks at you-well I saw that one day. She cares for you too. Wait you knew she was in love with William Turner and you brought him back to her anyway?” He scrunched his nose. “Have we had this conversation before? This feels frustratingly familiar.”

He shook his head. “No matter. She is interested in you James, but if you continue to cower like a child in the face of his first night at sea, with unsure feet and terror of the unknown clouding his mind, she-well let’s just say you’ll have earned whatever she deems fit to do to or with you be it leave or shun.”

 

James stood stunned for a good fifteen minutes after the lieutenant left. 

_Was Theo right? Could she actually find him worthy or even attractive?_

He swallowed.

_Had he wasted his chance with her? Would she let him win her back from the arms of Turner? Was there a chance that he might earn her love? Did he need to actually say he cared deeply for her? Hadn’t his gifts and consideration already relayed his feelings toward her to her? Perhaps he did need to tell her and show her that he wanted their marriage to be more than a passing of two ships in the night with words left unspoken and his pain welling up while she looked on uninterested?_ _That’s it, he would tell her as soon as he returned to Port Royal-after he finished his objective._

He would complete his mission then tell her. Maybe, just maybe she might give him another chance.

Her smile filled his minds’ eye as she stood before him in memory covered in mud. Her laughter echoed in his ears as he remembered chasing her toward the house. And that fire that lit in her eye as he locked eyes with her when her father had happened upon them. Something in his stomach turned and he gulped audibly. Running his hand through his hair and scratching his head, James took a deep breath and held it in as his chest felt as though it might burst. Forcing the air from his lungs, he licked his lip and began to pace his small room.

* * *

 

Early the next day, Captain Jacobs and his small crew set sail and were out of sight by mid-day. Though they would stick to the plan and continue combing the seas for slave traders, James could not deny his growing desire to be back on the small farm with Elizabeth again. Hopefully she could find it in herself to forgive him. Hopefully she would give him another chance. Hopefully Theo was right about all this. 

 

* * *

 

It had been at least a month since they had been taken from the beach-her beach. She sat in a small cell across from the bruised and bloody Will Turner. He leaned in a slumped heap against the corner with his back toward her. Her stomach rumbled aloud. She kneaded it absentmindedly as though that would improve its emptiness. “We’ll be free of this place soon Will.”

He scoffed. “Yes indeed. And how do you suppose that? Surely you cannot still be hoping that the next pirate ship we encounter is the Pearl. Even if it was, who’s to say Jack wouldn’t cower like all the others and bend to the will of ‘Lord Cutler Beckett’ and him more than the others?”

Her heart sank as she silently listened tracing a damp dew drop as it slid down the rusted cage.

 “Since not only are you the Pirate King who commands the seas' renegade armies but also has a bending will courtesy of yours truly and the inventive pain Cutler schemes up to inflict on me. Did he give himself that name or-”

“-you know actually my Mother gave it to me. She was a prophetic woman that one.”

Elizabeth couldn’t keep her shoulders from flinching at his voice. Will rolled away from the hall into the back corner of his cage. As Beckett strolled from the shadows he laced his fingers together. It was never a good sign that he stooped to visit them. They must have found another ship. This had to be the 6th ship they had come across since they had set sail.

Will’s torn raged shirt slipped from is shoulder and the angry red stripe that stretched over to his chest caused Elizabeth’s stomach to roll.

“Anyway, here we are encountering yet another ship. We should be with them within the hour and I intend to have no issues like last time. Remember I promised broken arms for our young friend here should you find your part difficult and prove as unhelpful as last time.” Beckett looked from Will to Elizabeth.

“You’re not hurting them are you?” Elizabeth asked and Beckett placed a hand on his chest. “I promised you that once the pirates had locked themselves into their cells below I would only keep them there till I could turn them loose on the nearest island. And as you know I am a man of my word. All you need do is ask any of these lovely marks on your young friend here.”

Will’s face scrunched and he looked at the ground as he drew his legs against his chest. Beckett shrugged and sighed. “No matter, I think we both know you’re not going to let William encounter any pain more than necessary. Remember once we are broadside you will walk out and demand they cease fighting and surrender, on your authority as Pirate King.”

With that, he was gone back into the shadows but his footsteps thumped until they slowly faded to nothing. Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. “I will not allow him to hurt you anymore Will.”

He eyed her from under his long messy hair. “You cannot control him. And the minute he threatens me you do just as he asks. You need to make up your mind either help me or them. Those men are no doubt not as well off as he implies.”

“I am no fool William. I know that they are likely kept in their cells. We will have to find a way rescue them after this is all done.”

“Back to finding a way out of here.” He shook his head and pulled his legs closer to himself.

“Will, we have to have hope.”

He glared at her.

 

Thirty minutes later she stood on the deck of the boat three feet from Will, whose arms were held in tightly secured braces which forced him to keep them extended a looming threat for what was to come should she not comply. She locked eyes with Will. His seemed hollow and his shoulders though his arms were held in place slumped. His eyes dropped to the ground and his left knee bent weakly. Her jaw clenched as her heart began gradually increasing its pace. She turned and strode toward the siding of the ship and climbed up the stairs to the upper deck.  

“You all listen to me! Listen!” She shouted above the sound of the wind just before the fight broke out. “You know who I am, you know what I can do. You will not raise a finger here. There will be no sweat over this battle-or battle at all for that matter. Surrender peacefully. Live to fight another day.”

There was nothing like the blank stares that followed her, dawning recognition in their eyes; promptly followed by clouds of confusion and finally reluctant surrender. Her throat burned as the words scraped forth from her mouth. Bitterness singed her cheeks.

Without a shot fired the crew laid down their weapons and prepared to be boarded. This was the simplest of surrenders thus far. Once the dismayed crew was rounded and locked below, Elizabeth made her way, gut ready to run itself inside out, to Will who stood in silence as he watched her. These pirates were all kinds of evil scoundrels she had no doubt but her method of bringing them to another man who was just like them but with the king’s seal of approval was a new low for her. Still she would not let Will suffer for her influence.

Then as their eyes met again a wave of motion blurred in her peripheral vision and suddenly a fist was connecting with William’s face. “No!” She lunged toward his crumpled figure. “I did as you asked!” She seethed and managed to catch the next blow aimed for Will in the cheek-by accident. Reeling, she connected with the mast in a sideways slam and coughed frantically as she tried to draw breath. “You said you wouldn’t hurt him!” She spat.

“I said I wouldn’t break his arms. My deal is still intact.”  Lord Beckett shrugged and with a dismissive wave toward them headed to his cabin. His men promptly took both Will and Elizabeth by under their arms and dragged them below deck, down the unforgiving stairs into the darkness of the hall and finally thrust them into the cages they’d been living in for the last several weeks.

Elizabeth looked down at her shins; they both already began to swell in protest of the edges of the steps. Her cheek stung angrily and hot tears slipped down her face. She’d only been hit once just now and she was in this much pain. Will had been enduring this treatment and much worse for weeks. It was no wonder he was disheartened. Still they could not give up.

“We will get out of this.” She vowed.

 

His bitter laugh was choked off by a wheezing cough. His next words were strong with conviction. “Not even the luckiest Captain Jack can manage to always get what he wants. Hold no hope for a pirate who may or may not even be a captain at the moment or who may or may not even care to help-even if he does care for you.”

Her cheeks burned. She jerked her chin high. “Jack means no more to me-”

“-Than I do.”

Her words caught in her throat. “Will, Jack and I have only ever been friends. Truly.” She meant it but clearly Will believed otherwise. That was his burden to bear. At this point James was their best chance but she was hardly going to mention that to Will who for some reason resented Jack for his friendship with her. She had only mentioned Jack one time in a passing thought since Beckett was clearly targeting pirates their chances of meeting with Jack were higher but by now James must have discovered she was missing and was no doubt tearing through the sea if only to have his prize back.  

 

* * *

 James knew he’d been working his men to the bone. For two months they had been at sea. For two months they had been coming across ships that were near completely unmanned aside from a crew load of prisoners always kept in the hull. For two months he’d been sending small sections of his crew away with captured ships to be repaired in the harbor of Port Royal. Today of all days though with great regrets James would turn back toward Port Royal. The curious lot of ships never ceased to intrigue him. Each was in a different state. Some seemingly newly captured, some freshly repainted, some barely floating. All with the same type of manned situation. Not a single crew member would give up information when they were together, those who were left living that is. But a few when alone had let slip words like “Beckett” “foolhardy obedience” or “leveraging puppet”. So he was on the right track at least. If he only had the supplies and men they could keep at it and figure out what Beckett was really up to.

Every time Groves would choose a small set of men and send them on the ship back to the Port. They had encountered 8 ships so far and none of them with so much as a single answer as to how they got to be the way they were but the prize was ripe for the picking and the mystery surrounding it was growing thick.

Now as they finally turned back toward Port Royal, James finally surrendered hope of figuring out what had put the ships into such a state. The captured crew always seemed especially aggravated but were entirely unyielding in information as if it was a matter of deep pride they would take to their graves.

_And they would take it to their graves no doubt._

James knew for sure that not a single member of any of the split crews would be left alive by the time he had returned to the Port. Although he had determined that they were not of the same crew-any of them, some were definitely Beckett’s and the others seemed average pirates. Still they were all pirates of one sort or the other so it made little difference if they were quarreling among themselves to him.

_They would be convicted and hanged-well unless the governor found any of them innocent-which was unlikely._

Even now though as he looked over the seas and tried not to let the unsolved perplexity of the situation bother him, his mind turned back toward what lay before him-what waited for him at home. A chill ran up his back and a small thrill of weak hope bubbled in his gut. He would finally get to see Elizabeth again and maybe even speak to her the way Theo had told him to.

_How was it possible to face danger after danger with undaunted courage but one lone, breathtakingly beautiful woman could send his bravery stuttering like a schoolboy?_

The sun shone bright in the sky. The water seemed particularly blue. A strong wind gust forth and hurried them on their way. Even then though as he stood there contemplating all the things they had seen in the last couple months a dark image came into focus in the distance.

_The Black Pearl. Well one more then._

“Come about to Starboard!” James called and it almost seemed the ship itself groaned in protest though not a single man would utter so much as a huff in his presence. Perhaps Jack could explain or fill in at least some of the details that lay hidden in the fog of questions that had done nothing but grow deeply curious over the last several weeks, if he had managed to recover his ship. If he hadn't reclaimed The Black Pearl then they'd have one more prize.  


	8. This is my life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all!  
> So I know I was gonna post another chapter on Sunday. Things came up and it didn't get quite as much attention as I thought it needed. Then I wanted to get the next one out too...anyway I'm just gonna post this one and get the next one finished up hopefully soon!  
> Again thanks for all the comments questions and critiques I really do love them! 
> 
>  
> 
> Alright well please let me know what you think! 
> 
> Since I'm already working on the next chapter I'm really hoping the next chapter will be ready soon!

With careful patience they docked The Vindication between a pair of the ships he’d sent back against her pier where she belonged. James slid his hand against his brow as he peered up at the sky.

 _Was it only morning? The humidity of this place was nothing like back in England,_ well as far as he could remember anyway it had been over a decade since he’d been to England. A deep pang echoed low in his heart.

Huffing out a breath, he set his jaw and squared his shoulders. He’d have to take inventory of all the ships they’d captured.

 _Maybe someone here would know why they were in such a state._ It was unlikely but worth checking in on. While he was at it he’d need to speak with the governor and see about those prisoners and if they’d been tried already or if sentencing still needed to take place. He stood nearly touching the railing and scanned the 4 ships off the port side. His eye caught a tear in the mast of the ship closest to them. Most of the ships had been smaller than The Vindication but they were still worth refitting. Overall most of the ship looked pretty well refitted from here. It was the first he’d sent back. Slowly he turned and walked along the side of The Vindication till he stood near the loading plank. With his logs tucked under his arm, James inspected the barrel that was being carried off the ship by two of his sailors. On the upper deck Theo stood talking with a couple of younger lads. Clearly he’d entranced them in a tale from his many adventures. The young officers stood in rapped attention. There was too much to do today to waste about in needless conversation.

“Lieutenant Groves!” He called as he unfolded one of the logs and glanced over it. Theo waved off the boys and jogged down toward him.

“You must have some sort of enjoyment lookout for anytime hard work suddenly isn’t in progress.” Groves shook his head but his grin betrayed his mock annoyance.

“Yes well,” _\- there is at least one other who shares that opinion-_ “it comes in very helpful in moments where hard work is needing to be done. Now onto said work.” He handed his current log with a list of sailors who had been dispatched on the many different ships. “You will head into town gather these men and bring them back. I want all hands on deck while we work on unloading The Vindication. Once we have her unloaded I want her cleaned from stem to stern, repairs will begin this evening and after we’ve worked to dark everyone can get some rest. Tomorrow we will complete as many of the repairs on this new fleet as possible and I intend to have all these ships ready to give to the king by the end of the month.” James glanced casually out at the other ships.

“Is there anything else?” Theo’s tone was even and calm. James had to give him credit for taking the task and list of plans in stride; _though truly Theo was quite good at that._

“Yes, send me two messengers.” He decided and slapped Groves on the shoulder.

Groves grin grew into a smile. “Right away sir,” and he actually saluted.

Evidently Groves had developed the ability to hear his thoughts. 

James turned and called to one of the officers standing nearby. “Mr. Jones if you would.” He waited as the man set down the rope he held and made his way hoping over displaced supplies that scattered the deck.

“Admiral?” The man was slightly shorter than James and his curly blond hair draped down to the back of his neck.

“Mr. Jones, here is a log of the ship’s supplies.” James held his log open and turned it toward the man. “Take it, stand here and take inventory of all the items that leave this ship.”

“Yes Admiral.” He turned toward the ships unloading ramp. Just then the two lads he’d seen speaking with Theo only a few moments ago stood at his side.

“Messengers present Admiral.”

They were each scrawny in their own way. Skin tanned and hair bleached from the sun. The taller but younger looking of the two held his hat in both his hands at waist level.

“Oh yes good.” James flipped open his last book and pulled the two letters from the inside cover. “Here,” He looked at the shorter one. His pants were rolled up and his coat seemed a tad over-sized. It hadn’t been that long since James himself had looked not unlike these young boys; ready to take on the world full of determination and strength.

“This is to go to Governor Swann right away and give him this.” He handed it to the shorter of the two. “And you, Mr.-” James hesitated.

“Piper if you please Admiral.”

“Ah yes Mr. Piper, you will run straight away to my house and deliver this to Mrs. Norrington.”

“Yes Admiral. Right away sir!”

With that the two turned and split. James chuckled as he watch them disappear. He and Theo had been like these two, scrambling about hurrying to the slightest command of their superiors. His vision refocused on a man who was carrying a sack of mill. The corner was torn and it was spilling. Completely unaware of the tear the man moved to hull his load off the ship. “You there sailor.”

The entire ship froze at his words. James nearly rolled his eyes.

“You,” He pointed at the man and the rest of the ship of sailors turned back to their work while the one poor man stood without breathing. “Don’t fear, your bag is just torn do turn it up and hold it differently lest it empty itself before you reach your destination.”

The man lugged the sack from his shoulder and inspected the bag and adjusted accordingly. “Thank you sir.” James nodded and turned back toward his cabin. He needed to pack. Once the fresh and rested men returned to help them progress on the ship would steadily increase. James lifted his sketching book from his desk drawer and opened it to the page a ribbon lay tucked in. He kept it as a book mark. Elizabeth must have had in her hair while she was tending to him as he had been sick just before he left for she’d forgotten it on his dresser. He fully intended to return it to her when he saw her but he hadn’t had the chance before he left rather urgently. It smelled like her and he hadn’t been able to keep himself from storing it in his most valued book and looking at it now and then. “It’s time.” He nodded to himself. “No more wasting time Norrington. Just tell her and have done with it.”

* * *

 

As he signed off on the list of items leaving the ship, James sighed. They may not have been able to catch the Black Pearl again, but eight ships captured in one trip was not bad. The strange state they found each of them in was - thumping up the wooden path back into the ship, quick footsteps interrupted his thoughts.

“What is it son?” He looked at the lad he’d sent to the Governor’s house.

The boy’s cheeks were flush and mouth gaped open as he struggled to both breath and relay his message.

“Take a moment to collect your wind son.” James set his hand on the boy’s shoulder and waited.

“Sir, Admiral, Governor Swann had a most urgent message for me to give you!” He huffed and gasped nearly at the same time.

James’ heart sunk down into his stomach. The boys on his ship were not prone to drama. This could not be good.

“Yes what is it?”

“Sir, your wife, Mrs. Norrington, she’s-”

James’ whole body froze. In a delay of realization he unclenched his hand from the boy’s poor collarbone.

“She’s what?” He leaned down.

“She’s missing sir.”

James could not hear the boy shouting after him. He didn’t notice Groves nearly fall off the pier in an attempt to avoid being run over. Nothing reached him as he raced as fast as his legs would take him bolting with all his strength and endurance toward his house-toward their house; the place she should be. His jaw tightened till his teeth ached.

By the time he reached the manor his entire shirt was soaked through with sweat. As he barreled into the doorway he slung his coat off his shoulders and unceremoniously tore the buttons from his vest riding himself of all necessary clothing. Somewhere along the run he’d lost his wig. There stunned in the hallway stood Ester. Her hair all tied neatly behind her handkerchief.

As he burst in she dropped her try in a splash and clatter on the hall floor. James tossed his vest off who knew where and approached her. “Ester, how long has she been gone?” He asked and ripped the ruffles from his sleeve cuffs.

“Sir, she’s been gone since about as long as you have. I haven’t seen her since before you left.”

Something within James turned icy cold.

“Has anyone looked for her?”

“Yes sir.”

“And have there been any traces of her?”

“Well sir, yes there is-that is we found something that might help.”

“What was it?” He turned and leapt several steps up. He could multitask. “Speak up as I get ready and tell Joseph to have my horse ready at once.”

 

“What was it what did you find?” He called down from his doorway.

Ester hesitated.

“Sir, I’m not sure that I should be the one to-”

 

“Come now Ester this is no time for worrying about propriety! What was found?”

“Sir it was,” She sighed and as he looked down from the top of the stairs he noted her brows furrow.

“Master Norrington, it was a love letter.”

The world stopped. The spinning it had been increasing so rapidly suddenly came to a complete halt and total silence swallowed it up. His hand still held the pistol he was securing to his waist but it would not budge.

He swallowed and everything within him seemed to become unstable as the world around him suddenly pulled at him as if urging him into its embrace.

“Pardon what?” Suddenly his heart started to beat again but only with the greatest caution.

“Mr. Norrington, down at the beach, Joseph found several bottles most of them empty.” As she explained he slowed with weak steps made his way down the stairway till he stood before her again.

“Under one of the bottles was a letter it seemed to be forgotten.” She continued her hands fidgeting. “It was addressed to Mrs. Norrington, but as Elizabeth Swann.”

He closed his eyes and swallowed as his brows knit together a little. Sucking in his lips, he slid his tongue over them.

“Wh-who was the letter from?” His voice came out much higher than it had in years and if Ester could even hear him it was a credit to incredible hearing.

“Sir it was a man called Will-”

“-Turner.”

“Well yes. Will Turner. Would you care to see the letter?”

 

“Yes. Ester was there any other signs of what had happened?”

 

“The brush was a little tramped down and there were footsteps in the sand as if they’d walked back and forth a few times. Oh and there was a dark ship in the distance, far, far off.”

“A dark ship?” He choked. Of course the one ship he could not catch. He’d been so close to it only yesterday and had given up on it. It might just be for the best though.

He slumped down to the second to lowest step and rubbed his forehead and the back of his head as he let the information sink into him.

_It was probably frowned upon to capture a wife you’ve set free. Even if that was exactly what he wanted to do at the moment. He had told her she could go. She had not wanted to at the time but then again she’d thought that the man who she loved was dead so what did it matter where she was at that point? And then he just had to go and bring Will home and now the two of them were-_

“Sir here’s the note.” Ester held it out before him and he glanced up and took it from her.

“Thank you.”

His stomach rolled uneasily as he turned the paper up right and slowly pulled it open.

 

Dear Elizabeth Swann,

Miss Swann you may always be to me. I have only just returned to Port Royal. The one thought I have in my mind, a constant in a sea of uncontrollable tides and winds is this, only this, I love Elizabeth Swann with every part of my being would give anything on earth to have you come away with me and give me just one more chance at the hope of a fut-

 

James didn’t realize he was crying till the teardrops slipped down to the paper and soaked through and suddenly his vision was blurred and his chest locked in a tight breath constricting hold.

Ester cleared her throat and he let his head fall to his bent knees. “Ester, you can have the rest of the day off. If you don’t mind I’d like a few moments alone.”

“Yes sir of course sir. I am very sorry sir.” And with that she slipped out the door and he was all alone.  Totally alone, hedged in silence and emptiness he curled up and leaned against the wall as the first sob drug itself through his throat.

* * *

 

As he sat there his mind traveled back to several months ago…

  His knee visibly shook, his hand trembling the effort to steady it thwarted as he sat across from her. Was it getting hot already? It was both early morning and early spring. This was it, he just needed to get through this and everything would be fine. The gentle clanking of the tea kettle and cups against their saucers seemed to boom like the guns on his ship. She might say no, but she might not. His pride had been destroyed by her before but he did still owe her father at least this much. Only two days ago her father had requested sincerely that he try again for her hand offering compelling reason to motivate him. Her father no doubt was the one he owed his reinstatement and his commission when things had been at their lowest for him. Besides his debt to the governor the truth was that he still loved Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth,” her eyes flicked up her teacup to his. They were cloudy and locked onto his eye for a moment before dropping back down to hold steady on the steaming contents of her cup.

_Right she didn’t want this. Surprise, surprise._

He took a deep breath. Smoothing his coat with his hands and hopefully drying some of the sweat from his palms, he pushed his chair back and knelt before her. She flinched. “Elizabeth, I know we have a-” a what? Complicated past filled with her following the whims of the sea and not giving her past life a backward glance? “An interesting route here. But I would be most delighted and deeply honored if you would consider taking my hand in marriage. I know my previous demonstrations of-”

“-yes.” Her voice was small nearly lifeless.

His eyes widened his brow lifted and the color blanched from his face. He licked his lips. “I’m sorry what?”

“Yes Admiral Norrington I will marry you. When and where?” Her clipped tone indicated her intent. Clearly she was just going through the motions; this was a means to an end-or an avoidance of one.

“A, um, tomorrow perhaps? In the afternoon? After church?” He stuttered, oh wait! Women liked a longer engagement that that didn’t they? Time to plan things… “No sorry, how about two weeks from tomorrow after church?”

All her features relaxed a little to resignment. “It’s settled then.  Two weeks from tomorrow after church, I will marry you. Now unless there’s anything else, I need to excuse myself.” She rose to her feet.

“Yes of course.” He nodded and suddenly remembered the small band in his hand still partly held up. “Oh wait Elizabeth.” He stood as before her. “Here.” He held it out to her not daring to put it on her finger. She glared down at the ring as though it was deeply offensive. As she took it from him though, her incredible gentleness struck him. Nearly reverently, she rubbed her thumb across it. With the subtlest nod, she was gone.

 

            His blurry vision cleared a little. Dimming shades of evening fell around him as the shadows grew bolder. Taking a deep breath, James straitened up from his hunkered position against the wall. As he stood up he set his shoulders and rubbed his nose. He let out the shaky breath. She'd married him, not loving him, believing that her true love was dead. In the end she’d chosen Will, she always would it was inevitable. This was his life now. He could at least be glad for the time he did get to share with her. Now however, it was time to move on. There would be no more regretful thoughts or wallowing or turning his life upside down. There would only be the gentle closing of this chapter and the opening of the next.  

_Yes that was right._

Her smiles and the sound of her laughter that one day flashed into his mind. The invisible hammer in his chest gave the small wedge that had settled into the crack of his heart a hard thump forcing the weak points that had for months been strained to the point of fractured fragments which barely held together a shattering jolt bursting what was left of his heart into a million pieces.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Change of pace ahead :)


	9. No!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so just a warning. Heed the tags some of the aforementioned issues, we're getting into the darker stuff here.   
> Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

 

 

“Ironic isn’t it?” Will’s voice scratched out low in the room. “Here we are all together again, back on the Black Pearl herself.” Across from him fiddling with some odd decorative piece in his hair, Jack sat in silence. His lips twitched in weird ways as though he was mumbling to himself despite the fact that no sounds left his lips.

“But were still missing something…what was it? Oh yes that unhelpful useless excuse of a sea captain you’re _married_ to!”

Elizabeth swallowed. “Admiral.” She whispered. She couldn’t bring herself to be frustrated with Will. He was being hollowed out little by little each and every day. Despite the fact that they hadn’t seen another ship in months and that Beckett had no use of any of them at this point-unless they did happen upon another ship, Beckett had kept them. Like knickknacks or trinkets, little treasures of the sea, they sat locked away from the world-until Beckett came down himself for his biweekly visits to watch as his men tortured Will in whatever facet he had deemed Will fit for and in whichever way he fancied at the moment. 

“He’ll come for us.” She hummed to herself. “He’s coming for us.”

“I suppose he never found you then aye Turner?” Jack’s voice was contemplative and distant.

Elizabeth’s eyes flicked to the side of her cell. She sat with her back to them. It was easier than seeing Will’s eyes shoot fire blazing darts at her or to take in the pain that emanated from him without be able to actually help.

“Look what good it did!” Will scoffed.

 

Her brows furrowed.

 

“Ah so he did catch up with you then?” Jack’s tone held confidence.

 

Jack had been brought in a few weeks ago, thrust into the cell with Will but remained mostly unharmed thus far during his stay. 

 

“I always thought he should get her.” Jack commented offhandedly.

 

Her nose scrunched a little.

 

“Well he got her. Look there she is all _his_!”  Will growled but his inflection lacked conviction.

Her eyes grew wide and she twisted toward them.

 

“You guys are talking about James?”

 

“Who else-unless you’ve married someone else and we’ve been badly misinformed?” Jack turned toward her.

“What do you mean he caught up with Will?”

 

Her eyes glanced from Jack’s to Will’s and she didn’t miss how he wouldn’t return her gaze. For the first time since they’d been here Will looked a little timid.

“Jack, explain.”

 

“It’s quite uncomplicated.” Jack shrugged turning toward her. “The Admiral, well your husband, Norrington that is-whichever,” he shook his head wiggling his fingers and dropping his hair beads. “He was searching for young Will here. He found me when I was-well I was obviously not commanding this lovely vessel. Though this old girl looks as beautiful as ever.” He reached up and stroked the bluish greenish bars that held them.

“Jack,” Elizabeth bit the word.

“Right then, yes, he there I was sailing about and we had an encounter. We spoke from our two great commands as we respect each other and each other’s positions as commanders in our own rights.”

Elizabeth licked her lip and eased her teeth into her tongue with gentle pressure.

 

“So we spoke and had a meal. He was combing the seas for this one. Evidently he’d heard that he was somewhere unknown but wanted to bring him home. You never know what kind of ruffians you’ll find at sea ya know. Take my old crew for example,”

But she wasn’t listening anymore; her eyes were blazing now as she glared at Will. _He had not just come back to Port Royal. It had not just been a happen stance chance that he’d arrived around the time that James had. Ah she was such an idiot! Why had she not seen it right away? That meant that all that time that James had been gone…he’d been what looking for Will? He’d found Will. He’d brought Will back? Then when she’d told him and he’d said he’d seen him in town? Well that was true to some degree. Why would he have done that? Why would he have-_ her mind flashed back to their conversation that last day she’d seen him.- _he hadn’t known that she thought Will was dead, they really needed to talk more. But then what did James have motivating him to search out Will?_ A nagging clink dull and muffled tugged at her ear but it faded as her mind raced. A cold chill crept into her chest and her throat became sore. _She was his reason. She was the only reason he’d have to go find a man he never thought twice about except as an obstacle to his own ability to be with her._ Her husband was proving to be more of a mystery than she’d ever realized.

Jack’s voice found its way back into her ears. “or there’s even Hector himself. He-”

 

“-He’s here just in time it would seem.” With that the clinking sound grew stronger and clearer morphing into more of a scraping thump. Jack leapt to his feet and she might have stood as well if she hadn’t already risen to a standing position. All they’re eyes turned just in time to catch sight of Captain Barbossa descending the last of the steps in the distance. The light of day peeked through the cracks in the ceiling. Behind Barbossa, Beckett strode in shoulders back. For such a little man, he sure kept a commanding presence. Let it never be said that power was determined by size.

“Hector?” Jack’s voice jumped three octaves up.

Captain Barbossa grinned. “It has been some time Jack. I see the sea has been as kind to you as she usually is.”

Jack’s brows twitched toward each other before he shrugged.

“Now this seems a more fitting place for you on this ship.” Barbossa observed as he continued to come closer.

The officer approaching with them looked her up and down slowly deliberately.  
Elizabeth forced herself to stand without backing up as a chill ran down her spine. Her jaw set firmly.

“They caught you as well ol’ boy?” Jack shook his head slightly. “Well you know fate catches up with all of -”

“-Oh no Jack you misunderstand. I’m the new captain-again.” Barbossa corrected winking at Elizabeth.

“Again?” Jack’s voice was small as he echoed the word. But he seemed to recover quickly enough. “Well then, since you know all of us. Perhaps you could tell Beckett here that we’re not worth keeping and he should let us go at earliest convenience to help with ration conservation, prison guarding, and the waste of energy he has his poor man put into beating Will up every so often. You can see how just not having us on this ship could really save time and money.”

Barbossa laughed and Elizabeth let her eyes close. “I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request.”

_This was not happening._

 

“Though I thought we might give young Turner here a nice family reunion with his old man, I have decided against that, as I have learned for experience that sending men to the bottom of the ocean can become most impractical in the most inconvenient ways. No I just came down to check over the way things are being handled and to reacquaint myself with this old girl.” He patted the pillar beside him. His eyes roamed their cages and he seemed to be looking for something as his eyes narrowed when they crossed over the doors.

“Well I have done what I’ve come for now I suppose I’ll be on my way and if I should ever have need to speak with you I’ll send for you since once is enough to come all the way down here without necessary motivation. Beckett here is planning to take a small break from the ocean in a few weeks and do business elsewhere in the meantime do enjoy your stay on my ship.” He tipped his hat toward them and turned to leave.

* * *

   

 Once Barbossa, Beckett, and the officer with them had long gone, Elizabeth turned her gaze back to Will. 

 

“You scoundrel.” She kept her voice so low it was almost gone. “How dare you?”

 

He glanced her way, his eyes shifting unamused.

 

“You knew didn’t you?” Her eyes turned colder than her voice.

 

His eyebrow lifted.

 

Jack watched eyes twitching between them.

 

“James rescued you and you tried to take me from him?”

 

“Wait!” He stood up and slouched forward till he was leaning against the bars. “I didn’t know you were married till I found you and you told me. He never breathed a word of it.”

 

_Well at least he hadn’t sought out a married woman-but still-_ “I told you I married him and even after that, you still wanted me to leave with you, and you did know that he was the one to rescue you and I was married to him.” Her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed before her heaving chest. Shaking her head, she whirled around.

 

“James hunted the seas during our first few months of marriage for you a time he might have spent with me. And all you can think to do when you’re rescued is go after his bride.” Leaning till her back thumped against the cage, she slid down.

“I’m sure you would have preferred the Captain spend his bridal months with you. I’m sure he took no delay in claiming you as his own and you are quite unsure of what to do without your master aren’t you?”

 

Something in her chest clenched as her jaw ticked tighter. Slowly she stood back up. Turning till she met his eyes again, she trembled as her anger burned.

“It’s Admiral. His name is Admiral James Norrington. He has done nothing but respect me. His kindness and gentlemanly behavior is unparalleled in these seas and yes, I would have liked to spend that time with him. Though at first I was unsure of our situation I am quite certain that James is entirely worthy of devotion.” Her teeth clenched.

 

Will held his stance but his eyes dimmed. It hit her strangely in her chest. “Will, we will always be friends as I already told you. But I am a woman who is loyal when she has committed and I have committed to James,” she took a deep breath. “For better or worse. No matter what.” Her fight drained from her. “And Will,” His eyes flicked up to hers. “He will come for us.” She nodded and turned back to the inside of her cell and slid back into the corner drawing her knees up to her chest.

 

Jack whistled as Will limped over to his corner. “She seems pretty firm. Scarier than a siren that one…” He took a deep breath. “I’d leave her be brother.”

 

_Did he not realize they could both hear him?_ She let out a breath and rubbed her forehead.

“Ah, cheer up you two. We’ll be out of here in no time. I’ve seen much worse than this. Things always get bad before they get well-worse and eventually probably, well most likely better? That is I hope they get better. I’d like to finally get to captain my own ship. And now Hector is working with good ol’ Beckett.” He mused with a click of his tongue.

“Yeah this seems pretty dreary come to think of it. Still, at least the good Admiral will have found out that his bride is missing and surly will be tearing through the waters to find dear Lizzy.” 

* * *

 

 

James looked over the fleet that he had had transformed from the 8 driftwood scrap excuses of ships they had captured rebuilt and brought back to the king. It had been a long couple of months and at last they were going to be able to head back to Port Royal. Not that it held anything for him. He had resigned himself to the idea that Elizabeth loved Will and would be with him, but it made his heart ache no less. The king had indeed summoned him. He had presented the ships to the king and had hardly-  
“Well old chap, that was unexpected!” Groves slapped him on the shoulder. “Who would have thought that the king would give you your very own fleet? It would seem you are quite nearly the most powerful man in the seas at the moment. The tropical seas at the very least! So,” Theo leaned back against the railing as he looked at James. “What does a man who has been given a navel fleet to fill his 9 commands do with his time?”  
James jaw set firmly. He looked out over the seas. Glistening with hope of adventure they beckoned him. “Well for starters, he returns to Port Royal and sets a strategy with his fleets’ captains to comb the seas for unwanted threats of any kind.”  
Groves nodded attentively. “Yes well it would seem you’d have quite a lot of time on your hands with powers such as has been handed to you. So what else do you have-”  
“-Actually Theo, I think quite the opposite is true.” James corrected evenly. “I can’t imagine my load getting any lighter this way. But in fact I believe that I won’t have time at all to be free. Rather this seems much a fuller and busier task now. I will be overseeing everything that I have going on. I will send the ships in sets of two out to capture all who deem it fit to operate in any form outside of our good country’s law. We will have our hands very full cleaning up these waters and making this place safe. This not a task I can very well delegate and have no further part in.”  
Theo’s brow shifted and he followed James’ gaze out to the horizon. “Quite as you say. Very true James.” He nodded. “These waters will have never known such a safety as they are about to.”

  
“A noble plan indeed James.”

The ships that had once been haggard an worn now shined with new beauty and fresh paint, their wood newly sanded and worked to smooth textures. James took a deep breath and once again enjoyed the salty freshness of the sea. He reached up and unclipped his wig. Turning he headed toward his cabin. “Watch the ship for me,” He spoke to Groves without looking at him. “Captain”. He chuckled to himself as he could imagine Theo’s expression.  
As he closed his door, he set the wig on it’s stand. His eyes traveled the room to his book which lay on the desk. With a deep sigh, he approached it. As he leaned over to lift it up something tapped against his chest. Glancing down at his lapel, he reached up and unpinned the new medal bestowed on him by the king. Gently, he set it into the open drawer. Gathering his small notebook, he rubbed the leather cover and opening it he let his fingers slip over the ribbon. With a deep breath he closed his eyes and a single tear slipped down his cheek. “I will move on as you have chosen Elizabeth, but I will never forget you.” He whispered and with that he set it to rest in his drawer and slowly closed it. Clearing his throat, he rubbed his face, set his shoulders and walked out the door.

 

* * *

 

“Well I do hate to have to leave you all when we’ve been enjoying ourselves so much these past several months.” Beckett commented his tone regretful.

Elizabeth barely kept herself from rolling her eyes.

“It is for the best, I have much work to be doing elsewhere and I cannot keep myself from it.” He boarded their latest and only captured ship in these last several months. “I am sure that you will all be well cared for by acting Captain Wells.”

“I don’t particularly care for the look of this Captain Wells-” Jack leaned toward her and whispered while keeping his eyes trained on the middle aged man who wore all his cloths on the much too big side. She followed his eyes and another chill ran down her back as she suddenly noticed the man leering at her. 

“That’s quite alright Mr. Sparrow.” Beckett noted without looking up from his ledger.

“There should be a ‘Captain’ in there,” Jack started to halfheartedly lift a hand to add to his point but seemed to change his mind midway as and instead scratched his ear.

“Turns out you’ll be joining Captain Barbossa and myself here on this ship.”

Jack’s hair line shifted up and back. With a slight shrug he glanced back at Lizzy once more. His lips twisted in an odd resigned fashion.

“Suppose that’s that then.” He shrugged. “Till next time Lizzy, my king,” He bowed to her and kissed her hand as the men took his arm and gave him a shove toward the other ship. “Always a pleasure luv,”

“Take care Jack.” She whispered under her breath much to herself.

 

She watched as the men scurried about to disconnect the two ships and a couple lifted the boarding planks.  Slowly with the wind and tides the Pearl drifted away from the other ship and then they were opening their sails and actively pulling away from Cutler, Barbossa and Jack. Reaching up, Jack swept his had from his head and called to them.

“Fret not! This is not the last you’ve heard of Captain-”

“Oh do shut up Jack!” Barbossa called to his and gave him a slight shove.  Then he snapped his fingers at a nearby man and the sailor took Jack below. Lizzy nearly grinned.

_Oh Jack never deterred even in the face of long term imprisonment._ She shook her head.

 

“Well now missy,” The snarling voice pulled her from her thoughts with a start. “We’ve great plans for you my dear.” Captain Wells neared her and ran the back of his dirty hand against her shoulder and up to her neck. Holding her head high, she clenched her jaw.

“A come now, don’t be shy,” He slid his other hand down her arm till it found a new place on her waist squeezing gently.

She swallowed to keep from gagging.

“Hey you keep your hands off of her!” Will shouted yanking at his bonds like a wild dog.

Wells looked over at him through squinted eyes. “Why? You don’t have a claim on her,” _Had he been listening to their conversations?_ “And a beauty like this is meant to be enjoyed. Seems a waste to let her go on uselessly not serving her purpose.”   

Will’s eyes narrowed then grew as the man’s hand drifted to her stomach. Tugging and pulling, his shoulders jerked this way and that. Whoever had tied him had done a good job as his bonds were unyielding.

Lizzy’s skin turned cold and her face hot. It was all she had in her to stand still. Then much before anything really happened he took his hands off.

“Yet, I know that it’s best not to have desert before dinner.” He shrugged reaching up and trailing his fingers along her chin tilting her face toward his. Her neck turned stiff and every muscle in her body tightened.

“I will kill you! Do you hear me?” Will shouted his voice digging deep into a roughness she’d never heard.

Wells’ breath was warm and stunk like months of fish. His left hand found her waist again and drifted upward slowly. As they moved his fingers dug in little by little.

“Leave her alone you scumbag! You step away from her! She’s-” A sickening thump barely preceded Wills knees hitting the ground. His form doubled over as he coughed and gasped trying to catch his breath. The band beside him rubbed his knuckles gently.

“Sorry what was that?” Wells taunted with a malicious grin. “Now where were we?” He leaned in closer to Lizzy. Before his lips met hers in a literal knee-jerk reaction she swung her knee up and swiftly kicked into his groin. In two seconds flat the man was on the ground curled in on himself. Whines and wheezes and mutterings left his lips as he rolled over.

Everyone watched in silence. As he caught his breath, he finally pushed himself up. “Well then,” he began leaning forward hands fisted till his knuckles grew white. “If that’s how you want to play. Here I was being gentlemanly.”

“You do not know the meaning of the word.” She huffed but her confidence was betrayed as she took a step back.

“As it is, I’ll need a bit before we continue our lovely game. You can wait below till this evening.” He nodded toward a couple men behind her who stepped up and grabbed her arms.

“Enjoy your day of anticipation for the best night of your life.” He grinned and the hole in his mouth where a front tooth belonged was only foreshadowed by the rotten one next to it.

Her face grew red and her heart beat faster than it should. Clenching her jaw she spat at him as the men pulled her to the stairs. As they began down the dark hall down the man behind her tripped on something and tumbled forward. Pummeling forward, he crashed into her and sent her reeling down the steps. Since they’d been out in the brightness of day everything here was plunging blackness. In an effort to stop herself, she reached out to catch the railing rope but her bound wrists kept her from grasping anything. Screeching pain shot up her upper thigh caught the edge of one of the steps just as her opposite knee hit another. Crying out, she tucked into herself and as she continued rolling her elbows took the brunt of this whiplashing hits. Suddenly she thudded against the bottom and the world dropped away.

* * *

 

 

“You’re seeming much spryer and almost your old self Admiral.” Theo commented offhandedly.

James glanced over at him. From their perches atop the main mast the world looked so endless. Water for as far as the eye could see surrounded them. He chuckled under his breath.

  
“Did I seem to be aging so soon to you then, Theo?” The rope he held swayed with the boat’s rocking. Each wail billowed in the strong winds they caught.   
Theo flashed him a grin. “Well you’ve never been all that young seeming but yes you’ve seemed to age these past few years quite a bit.”

He had the decency to soften his voice as he finished.

  
James glanced down and sighed. The pain would likely always be there with him. _A medal for having loved and lost. Then again true love never ends in anger and grows you rather. He was learning something each day._ Pursing his lips, he rubbed his chin. He needed to shave the light morning scruff. Drifting over the shimmering waters, the sun slowly headed toward the horizon. His eyes roamed to the burning reflection. There in the distance a small dark blur floated disrupting the perfect image of the fire within the water.

  
“Say, Theo?” James spoke without taking his eyes from it.

  
“Hmm?” Theo hummed back.

  
“Do you see that?” James pointed.

“Huh…yes I do. Leave it to you to find another prize having not yet returned from bringing an actual fleet to the king himself.” Theo shook his head. “Do you ever stop working?” 

James shrugged. “Sure, when there’s no work to do.”

  
Theo laughed.

“Well then, off I go I suppose.” And with that, he latched onto a long thick rope and leapt off the mast.

  
James nodded in agreement and found a second rope following close behind the captain. 

 

* * *

 

 

  “Elizabeth?”

The world was blurry and fuzzy and pounding around her.

“Elizabeth?”

The voice was distant.

_What was wrong with her head?_

She squinted. It was suddenly too bright.

_Where was she?_

“Elizabeth, wake up?”

She shifted around and the roughness of the wood pulled at her dress. “Mmm.” She groaned as she pressed her weight against her elbow to lift herself up.

“Elizabeth, we gotta get you out of here.”

She looked across through the bars toward the voice and a hazy face came into her view.

“Where am I?” She whispered rubbing her aching neck.

“Elizabeth, you need to wake up. We’re in the hold of the ship. They threw us down here after Beckett left but they’re gonna be here for you any minute and you need to-”

“-Will?” His face became clear as she look back up at him again.

He huffed. “Yes it’s me Will, now you need to get up and try to get out of there.”

“Beckett but-” The events of the day all came crashing down on her. Slumping back down, she closed her eyes again. There was no way out. They’d already established that a while back. Granted they didn’t have the motivation she currently did. Her heart clenched and became cold. But there really was no way out of this metal box. She tucked her legs up against her chest and a silent tear slipped down her cheek.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Will’s voice stayed low but his intensity grew with each word.

“No, Elizabeth, get up. Come on we need to get you out of here.”

Sniffing, she rolled her eyes and squeezed them tightly shut. With a quick shake of her head she shut out any of his further words. _There was no way out._ She was going to face her fate in the next few hours with no hope of evading it. Wells rotten tooth flashed in her mind and she could feel his grimy hands again on her and a shiver shot through her.

As if on cue, the door at the end of the cavernous darkness swung open and light flooded the room. Footsteps hulled down the stairs.  She didn’t look up. There was no question why he was here. She swallowed and hunkered down more. Aside from the approaching heavy steps all was quiet. Her legs turned numb. A clank of metal, a scrape of iron and the door to her cell was swinging open.

“Let’s go girl.” A deep voice beckoned.

_She might be going to face a horrid fate but she wasn’t going willingly!_

She pulled into herself more. An exasperated huff filled the room and he thumped closer to her. The pain in her elbow cracked through her as he clenched down on it with his large hand and as though she were a small child the large seaman lifted her up till he was hauling her up and slinging her over his shoulder. Kicking and flailing, she tried to catch something on him that she could injure but this man was huge. Clearly there was a reason Wells sent him down instead of going himself. As they walked past Will’s cell he reached out and caught the man’s shirt jerking him toward himself.

“Put her down!” Will threw his free hand through the cell squares and caught the man on the jaw in a solid punch. The huge sailor shook his head and grasped the opposing hand and in one quick jerk snapped Will’s arm backward against the cage. A sickening crack echoed only seconds before Will’s cry rang out.

She couldn’t stop the scream from ripping from her throat. “WILL!!!”

Pushing herself up from the sailor’s back, she looked at her friend who was now crumpled in the corner holding his arm which was turned a little cockeyed. “No.” She whispered.  “No.” 

His eyes were squeezed shut and the tears were unbidden that poured down his cheeks.   

                      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And you thought Beckett was bad...well to be fair he is...but what do you think of Captain Wells? 
> 
> Okay enough with him...what about James...? What do you guys think of this (kinda sorta -moving on-not really) James?  
> Or what about Will? Any thoughts? 
> 
> Well I'm hoping to post again soon! Thank you all for your feed back! Can't wait to hear from you!


	10. New? Or New Appreciation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll!  
> So I've been able to get to the writing quite a bit more these last two weeks! It's been fun and crazy and hopefully made up a little for my inconsistency in the past.  
> Please let me know your thoughts, they really brighten my day!
> 
> Oh and one more thing, a little more dark stuff in this one but really it get's better nearly as soon as it gets bad- trust me :)

“Well here we are, at last.” Wells spoke to her as the big sailor arose from the stairs still carrying her over his shoulder. “And now you’re able to truly serve your people.” Suddenly the hefty sailor stopped and slung her back over till she stood before him. Whirling her around, he held her shoulders firmly. There she stood face to face with Wells.  
“Now then, how about that enjoyable evening I was offering you?” He was already two buttons down in the process of opening his shirt.  
Elizabeth instinctively kicked at him. This time though he was ready for her and caught her foot midair. Twisting it, he spun her till she faced the ground staggering for balance.  
“It seems she’s rather keen on being kept snuggly secure for the rest of the night boys.” He snickered to his men who slowly gathered round. “Let’s give the lady what she wants. Tie her to the mast-and do a good job.”  
This was it.  
A couple men approached cautiously as if she were some wild animal. The one on her right came closer and she kicked him in the shin as hard as she could. Something in her foot popped and she winced against the stabs of pain slicing up her leg. The man gasped and reached for his leg. A few whistles, calls and a couple laughs rose up from the quickly growing crowd. Angrily huffing, the man reached out and clamped down his fist on her arm. “You will pay for that!” He whispered jerking her toward the main mast. The second man took her other arm and together they kept her just out of striking reach till they got her to the mast.  
“Sam you go around and take her arms behind this. I’ll grab the rope and tie her up.” The one on her left spoke as his attention turned toward searching for something to secure her.  
“Hold on,” The one called Sam responded and before she knew what was happening he planted a powerful fist into her gut. Doubling over, she gasped for breath.  
“That’s better,” He commented contemplatively above her. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she tried to breath against the pain when a heavy foot swung into her shins. He grunted against the pain in his own foot now as she jerked away rolling to her other side.  
“This is quite a fun game all on its own.” Sam’s husky voice noted. Sharply another kick landed in her lower back followed instantly by one to her shoulder. Reflexively she sprawled backward.  
“Alright, Sam, that’s quite enough. I want her to have some reaction to our fun as well.” Wells’ voice called out.  
Tears slipped down her cheek as her body throbbed in multiple points of impact.  
This was only the beginning.  
A hand slipped around her wrist and pulled her across the floor till he lifted her a bit and her back was slammed against the mast. In the thud, her wind was gone, forced from her lungs. Her head sloped down as they yanked her wrists back till she was wrapped around the rough water damaged wood of the Pearl’s mast. A warm calloused hand grasped her ankle and she jumped. “Now now, we’ve already shown you what happens to resistance quite well. Do you really want to keep fighting us?” Sam taunted as he drew closer to her and shoved her leg against the pole for the other man. Again the hand took her ankle and began tying it. When both her feet were as secured around the pole as her hands, Wells approached.  
Coward.  
“Now aren’t you just lovely like this.” Wells tilted her chin up and as she opened her eyes she glanced past him.  
The entire crew seemed to have gathered round. Even the lookout was sliding down a rope till he stood among them.  
“Let’s see if you’re as sweet as you look?” Wells leaned in and as he went to kiss her, she drew her head back and head butted him in the nose. Reeling, his hand shot up to his face. As he pulled it away, blood drained from his nose and lip in a most satisfying fashion.  
He swallowed hard. “Well if she’s gonna play rough.” He grinned and slapped her in the face hard enough that her head jerked around and slammed into the post behind her.  
Puffs of darkness and light like the smoke from a gun blasted through her mind’s eye.  
The world turned blurry and unclear and numb. After a few moments though she felt his hands on her thigh tucking her skirt just at the knee behind her calves.  
No! Please No!  
What was wrong with her voice? Where did it go?

“Now isn’t this an interesting sight?” A voice called out over the jeers and taunting laughter of the crowd. “I can’t imagine what would have an entire crew so enthralled that even the lookout would been unaware of an approaching ship.” The voice was calm, powerful, and a little humored. The hands on her legs froze. Silence cut through their fun.  
“The interesting thing is, I’ve seen lots of unusual sights in the last few months. Ships nearly abandoned.” James? Was that James? Her mind must be playing ticks on her, or she’s passed out. That was it. Her brain couldn’t take the stress and she was in her own dreams. “Odd sets of crews, full brigs, but this” it was James! The men began to part, as Wells stood up and turned toward the voice. “This is new, now what could possibly be so interesting as to hold all of your atten-” just then the crowd’s shifting opened enough till she was able to see the speaker. James’ eyes drifted till they met hers and his words faded. His easy relaxed smile faltered and his shoulders stiffened. “-Attention.” Elizabeth sagged against her bonds.  
James was here! He would save her! This was finally it! He’d found her. They’d be alright now. A tear slipped down her cheek.  
James’ throat bobbed as he licked his teeth behind closed lips. Pursing his lips, he reached up and stroked his jaw as he looked back at Wells.  
Elizabeth felt the tension before she could see it in the men. She looked back at James and suddenly noticed all the sailors with guns pointing in their direction.  
No wonder these men had frozen in place.  
“Prepare to be boarded.” James spoke calmly.

* * *

 

Closing his eyes, James tried to calm his rapidly beating heart.

  
_How had Elizabeth ended up here? What had they done to her?_  
_A moment ago, this had been nothing more than another strange ship (albeit the Pearl!) to be captured. It was hardly that now! His wife however uninterested in him she was was tied to a mast surrounded by the scum of the sea. An account would be given and sentences would be paid. They couldn’t know her value to him though or this could all end very poorly. He needed to get between them somehow._

  
“Prepare to be boarded!”

  
In a surrendering compliance, the men surrounding her lifted their hands and held still. In a wave of order, his men set to boarding the Pearl. Stepping up on the secured railing, James himself took a rope in hand offered him by Groves who gave him a sympathetic frown. Then in a whoosh, James landed in stride on the Pearl’s deck. Twenty of his men all holding their rifles at the crowd stood behind him.

  
“So, this is the way this is the way a woman is treated on a pirate’s ship?” James gestured toward Elizabeth and tried not to look at her too long.

“We are no pirates,” One of the men responded and James’ eyes narrowed. He had already noticed the similarities of these men to the ones he had been catching for the last several months.

“Aren’t you? Isn’t this the Black Pearl herself?” James taunted.

  
_Maybe this would bring the answers he’d been searching for for so long._

  
“Well yes it is but she has been commandeered by Lord Cutler Beckett and is now in service to the king for the purpose of moving his African cargo to and from England sir.”

James’ teeth ground against each other as he fought to keep calm.

  
_So that’s what they had been intending to do with all these ships he’d intercepted. These were the slavers, run by none other than Lord Cutler Beckett himself. And they had his wife tied to the mast, her dress slightly torn and her face swollen and red._

  
Nodding a little, James took a deep breath. He strolled to the side with his hands behind his back.

  
“So you see sir, we’re on the same side.” The man offered and James resisted popping his knuckles.

  
“So you’re servants of the king then?” He struggled to keep his tone even and light as he turned his eyes locked with Elizabeth’s again. Her eyes held his a moment till they averted and dimmed.

  
“Yes of course sir!” The man piped up.

  
James’ jaw hurt from clenching it so hard. “Then tell me, how it is, that you think it’s alright to treat a lady in such a fashion?” He pointed at her and was amazed at how his voice was still maintaining a nonchalant tone.

  
“Oh that wench? Sir she’s just a pirate herself! She’s no more a lady than I am.” He jeered. “And since we’ve cleared this up I’d be happy to let you have the next turn!” His voice held hopeful.

 

“What’s your name sailor?” James faced the man and looked down at him as he was a solid 4 or 5 inches taller.

  
“Wells sir, Captain Wells.” James nodded and his eyebrows shifted up contemplatively. “So Wells, you work for Lord Beckett?”

The man nodded quickly.

  
“You what collect slaves and transport them to England?”

The man nodded again.

  
“So what use do you have of a pirate?” He squinted. He’d get all the information he could out of this man as he was the first to have anything to say to James.

  
“Well currently a good time.” Wells chuckled to himself as he threw a leering glance toward Elizabeth who for the first time since he’d seen her in months held her head a little higher brow raised.

  
“Well Lord Beckett has been using her as leverage over the other pirate ships. She seems to have some value over them.”  
         

          “I see, and why would she help him?”

  
“Well her lover is locked in the brig, so she does pretty much whatever Beckett wants to keep him in one piece.”

  
Something in James' stomach turned and his chest burned. _Yes he knew she loved Will but to have it so plainly commented on didn’t help his healing heart._  
“Quite the system you have here. Beckett gets his ships, I suspect at little to no damage and his ships get refinished and then what?”

  
“Well he sends them to an island where they get recrewed and the galleys are converted for the slaves. And then it’s off to the plantations. The East India Company is very efficient.”

  
“So how long has this been working?”

  
“Well this with her, has been working very smoothly for about, I don’t know what’d you say Johnathan?” He turned to one of the men. The man had an odd haircut and strange facial hair.

  
“Six months would you say?”

  
“Yeah about six months probably.”

  
“Really? And she’s just a pirate and the other pirates just do what she wants because she asks them too?” James turned toward him and smiled tightly. “That seems strange. And yet, when I take a closer look, she seems familiar.” James commented as he walked closer to her and gently reached down to touch her jaw in the gentlest way he could. She slowly dragged her eyes up to meet his and her face flushed deeper red. The tears in her dark eyes spilled over and she trembled under his gaze. Now that he was closer he could see the blood trickling down her lip and the bruises all over her legs that were uncovered from her mid-thigh down. His stomach became hard and the lump in his throat made it difficult for him to continue. “Yes now that I think of it I think she looks a little like the Pirate King.” He called to the others though his tone was more affected now.

“Well yes, she is. That’s why they all listen to her of course.” Wells replied still where he’d been, his voice a little hesitant.

_How long had they treated her like this? How many days had they hulled her up here and forced her to do their bidding? Why had he not looked harder for her? How much pain could he have prevented had he only kept at it?_

  
He cleared his throat. “Yes, now that I look closer she certainly does. You know I heard,” James winced as he brushed his thumb against her jaw wiping away the tear that had burned his skin. He drew a slow steady breath. “I heard she was actually the daughter of the Port Royal’s Governor Swann was his name?” James scrunched his eyes. “Yes I think that’s right.”

The men balked holding their breath and then Wells spoke. “Well she certainly changed sides.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Not too clever this one I think. Who trades the safety and power of a high position like that in a colonized territory for the dangers of sea and eventual capture?”

James ignored his question. “I heard she was married too.” He kept his eyes trained on her till the last of his words left his lips. As his eyes swung casually they re-met Wells’ which blinked a few times. Then a smile spread across his face.

  
“Really? To the lad in the brig?” He scoffed and the others around him joined him in a disbelieving laugh.  
James smiled too and shook his head.

“No, no, it was some unknown seaman; actually I heard he worked for the king.”

“No!?” Wells was flat out laughing now.

“Yes,” James scoffed too. “Crazy that she’d stoop so low, right?” He shrugged.

  
Wells scratched his head his laugh slowly fading as he tried to catch his breath.

“You know what else; one of my men was at the wedding. Where is he?” James made to look for Groves till his eye caught glimpse of the sparkle in Groves eyes. “Ah there he is, Captain Groves?”

Theo stood taller and took a step forward. “You were there; could you tell us who it was that married the Pirate King herself?”

  
“Admiral Norrington, Sir, it’s been so long. My memory you know,” He scratched his head and squinted his eyes. “Oh wait, wasn’t it you sir?”  
The riotous laughter was deafening till it died and then the silence was palpable. James was not laughing and the men finally caught on to it. But his wry smile stayed firmly in place.

  
“Ah that’s right,” James nodded snapping his fingers as if it had just dawned on him. “It was me.” His tone suddenly turned so cold the words might have frozen.  
James’ eyes connected with Wells’ again.

Wells was flushed then paled. He shook his head. “Okay that was a good laugh.” He took a short breath then grinned but his hands were shaking.

“She probably thought so to, the Pirate King marrying a lowly Admiral such as myself.” James shrugged turning so that his body was entirely between the men and Elizabeth.

“Do you men, know the penalty for harming a lady?” He raised an eyebrow. No one spoke or even looked at him. “Odd they seemed to have lost their tongues, Captain Groves.” He commented but he could no longer keep the intensity out of his tone any longer.

  
“So it would seem Admiral Norrington.”

“Well then perhaps you might help jog their memory?” James offered as he pulled his knife from his boot.

“Death by hanging sir.” Theo offered.

“Thank you Captain.” James breathed through his teeth. “Tie them up men, it would seem we have justice to serve.” The guns remained pointed at the E.I.T co. men.

“Do have the decency to die in silence will you?” James turned to Elizabeth.

“Theo dispose of this lot will you?”

“My pleasure sir.”

James looked at Elizabeth and her eyes stayed low on the ground.

“You found me?” Her broken voice whispered.

“None too soon I see.” Spoke before he realized it. Her eyes shot up to him and searched his own. He looked away. It was one thing to rescue her, it was another to let his heart feel again.

  
Kneeling, he set the knife to her bonds and after a few gentle rubs of the sharp edge to the rough twine the rope gave way and her legs staggered forward her skirt draping back over the exposed skin. But not before he noted the deep purple coloring her leg just above her knee.  
Justice would be most pleasurable today. He gently set the knife down and began untying her ankle before moving to the other and releasing it from the loop around it. Slowly he stood up not realizing till he was level with her face how close he was to her. He swallowed glancing at her lips. The tear in them looked painful and the blood now drying from it proved his suspicion. Her cheek was still swollen and an angry red color. Blinking, he reached back down to her wrist this time and began slicing away at the rope there.  
Suddenly the rope snapped and the moment she was free he was wrapped in the tightest embrace he’d ever been in before. Her head pressed into his chest and her arms locked around his waist. His head spun. And nothing quite formed to a complete thought. Her body began to shake and he realized his shirt was getting wet. Her tears seeping through his shirt burned his skin.

  
_He should have been here for her! He should never have let her go without at least giving her the signed note to protect her. Love him or not she did not deserve this._

  
“Thank you James.” She whispered and he felt his heart melt. “I’m so glad you found me!” She hummed into his shirt. “I knew you would, I always knew you would!”

 _Wait she wanted to be found?_ James eyebrows shifted together and he opened his mouth to ask but a cry rose up from below and she jerked away from him.

“Will?!” Her eyes widened and he was forgotten. “Come we need to help him!” She darted around him. His shoulders slummed. _Of course they did._ He sighed and turned to follow her. But stopped himself. _She probably only said that because she felt he owed it to him._ James looked over to see the proceedings of the captured men. _He’d probably be of more use here, ridding the world of this scum. And Elizabeth would probably be more comfortable if he wasn’t with her when she set Will free. Theo likely had this covered but he’d lend a hand just in case._ She never even looked back as she disappeared below. _It was just as well. He would not get hurt again._

* * *

 

“Will! Will!” She scrambled down the stairs and raced to the cell.  He sat hunkered in the corner.

 

“Elizabeth, you need-” He gasped for a breath and spoke through his gritted teeth.  “-To go! Get out of here while you can!” He cradled his arm against his chest moaning deeply in his chest.

“No Will it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay now!” She nearly cries. Her throat felt sore all of the sudden. Smiling, she reached through the bars with one hand and clenched them with the other. Her trembling hand lightly touched his shoulder. “He’s come, James is here! He’s here to rescue us!” She whispered and the tears did slip down her face at that confession.

His eyes flashed up to her. “Truly?”

She nodded covering her mouth with her hand.

His head clanked against the bars as he gently let all his tense muscles relax. “Thank God.”

He gasped and a wide grin stretched across his face. “Right then, let’s get this open.” He hefted himself forward trying get up.

Her mind raced. _Where were the keys?_ She glanced around. _They weren’t on the post where they normally hung. That scoundrel must have kept them when he’d taken her up._

“I’ll be right back I need to get the keys.” She sprinted and he lunged forward.

“Wait Elizabe-ahh!” He gasped as he swung forward and his shoulder shifted.

“No Will, just give me a moment and we’ll have you free of those bars and hopefully James will have someone on his ship who can take a look at your arm.” She nodded having stopped mid-stride to speak to him.

“Just hold on I’ll be right back.” And with that she turned on her heels and bolted up the stairs. They could not have him free of those bars soon enough.

It was all her fault he was hurt like this and she would make sure he was tended to properly.

As she reached the top of the stairs a ruckus enveloped the upper deck. Men shouting, irregular thumping sounds and gasps filled the air. The smell of sweat, blood and sea breeze filled her nostrils. A crowd of men surrounded something calling and cheering. It was impossible to see through the wall of men. Shaking her head, she shoved her way to the steps to the highest partial deck. As she looked down, she could make out a tall form hulking over another. There in the middle stood her husband. His hands were wrapped quite firmly around Wells’ throat and giving no indication he intended to let go. Wells’ face was bright red and darkening shade by shade every moment she watched. James bent low toward him whispering something in his ear. Wells hands lifted as he struggled to pry James’ off him but to no avail. _James was going to kill him._ Something flared up in her chest.  _The only reason he’d have to kill this man was for what he’d done to her because it was very clear they had never met. Would James be able to live with himself if things ended this way? Would he trade his good conscious for her honor?_ It wasn't something she was willing to bet on. _Not today._ She glanced around. There was a rope clearly attached to the main mast just behind them and it dangled over the rail near her. _It would work. It had so many times before._

In less than ten seconds she was landing in the middle of the crowd a few feet from the struggling men. Scrambling over to them, she noted the blazing fire in James eyes as he glared down at Wells. Wells for his part was nearly blue, his legs only barely giving resistance to James’ knee in his gut.

“James?”

It’d be best if he’d look at her before she reached him because clearly he wasn’t able to comprehend what was happening around him.

“James, you need to let him go.” She called to him. He responded as well as a brick wall.

 _This had better work_. She'd seen men caught up in the angst of a fight and knew they weren't always themselves when they were. She leaned forward and reached for his wrist. At the touch of her fingers, James’ body went ridged. He virtually froze till his face slowly turned up toward her.

“James, James you need to let go of him.” She nodded as if to affirm his words. “Please James let him go. He will be sentenced and pay for his actions but not like this.” She glanced down at Wells whose eyes flashed over to her but rolled back into his head a moment later.

Slowly James looked back down at her small hand on his and then up to Wells’ face. He suddenly released Wells’ neck as if it burned him. She let a breath escape her throat as   is she’d been the one unable to breath for minutes. Wells gasped and coughed rolling to his side. James wasn’t moving and as Wells rolled away Elizabeth looked up to see Groves nearby.

“Lieutenant Groves, if you would?” She jerked her chin toward Wells. Lieutenant Groves snapped his fingers towards Wells who was instantly shackled. She nodded toward Liueten- _wait he had an addition to his medals. He was a captain now._ She tilted her head toward Captain Groves.  Then looking at James again her brows furrowed. _Why was he still unmoved?_ She followed his gaze till she realized he was staring at her hands. Pulling back slightly, she cleared her throat and he flinched.

Finally his gaze met hers again. “Right then,” She licked her lips and her heart jumped as he stared for the first time unapologetically into her eyes without the cloudiness that always proved he was not in fact looking at her but somewhere else in his mind entirely. _Were his eyes always that blue-green?_

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she fought to keep the flush from reaching her cheeks. “James, I um I need,” She swallowed but the thought of Will jolted her back to their situation. “James I need the locker’s keys. Will is” he stiffened, his hands twitched and he averted his gaze. “-locked in them and” she fidgeted with her fingers. “Um, one, one of the um, men has them on his person.”

“Yes of course,” James lifted his chin and it was obvious he was forcing himself to meet her eyes again. “Do you know which one it is?”

“Oh um, yes, the really big one, gray shirt.” _Way to go Elizabeth that really narrows it down. There were only about 30 other men with grayish shirts and of greater builds._ She rolled her eyes at herself.

Squinting she reached up and rubbed her forehead. “He’s um, here- where are they?” She glanced around. It would be easier to just point the man out.

“Captain Groves, do take her to find him and be sure the task if fulfilled. Bring a few men with you.” James licked his lips and took a deep breath lifting himself up.   

Groves was at her side in a moment. “This way Mrs. Norrington.” He pointed and the crowed parted.

“He needs a surgeon too,” She commented in quick words. “He has a broken arm.”

Groves nodded toward another man and he bolted away to find the surgeon no doubt.

A moment later they stood beside a chained line of men this line had a much different purpose than it held thirty minutes ago. Now as she glanced at their faces each one held a different set of emotions. Brushing past them quickly, she spotted the big man.

“That’s him, that’s the one.” She pointed at him. Groves nodded and too nodded with his head toward him. Two of the three men at his side walked over and the big guy went still as he glanced from one to the other. One pulled a pistol from his side and lifted it to the man’s face cocking it as he did. The big man blinked eyes going wide. The second man searched him for the keys till the jingle of metal clanked and he grasped the ring of three keys. Stepping back, the two of them returned to Groves’ side and the keys were placed in his palm.

“Thank you men.” Groves nodded and turned to Elizabeth. “Please Mrs. Norrington lead the way?” And then they were all headed down to the brig.

 As she passed James again, he was focused and giving commands. His wig was nowhere in sight and he stood tall and strong. Every man around him stood in complete attention listening to his ever authoritative voice. _Was he always that powerful and good looking?_ She blinked and turned her mind toward the task before them. Her heart warmed though and a chill ran up her arms. She took a deep breath and continued on. She threw one last glance over her shoulder as she took the first step down. There he still stood checking off something on a ledger. _Was he always like this? Had she just missed it in her enthusiasm for Will all those years ago, or her grief for him more recently, or her desire for adventure and lust for the sea?_  She swallowed, shook her head and continued.  _Are you new or is this just the you I've been to blind to see, James Norrington?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? Is this a good change? What do you think of their character development? 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you!  
> Thanks for the comments, kudos, etc!  
> See ya soon hopefully!


	11. Who are you James Norrington?

Once they had all the ship in order and the men had been assigned guard over the prisoners, James headed over to a group of officers. They stood talking and pointing to a ledger.

“Well, what do they have? Did you take inventory?” James asked one of them.

“Here Admiral, this is the list of their rations.” He turned the open book toward James. “And here is the shot and powder list,” he turned the page over. James glanced over the limited supplies. It seemed they must not have planned to be at sea much longer as all the rations were rather low. A cry rang out from below and his eyes shot toward the door.

_Will must be in great pain to cry out like that. Unless there was some other pained soul below. And there was that issue. Elizabeth had enough troubles without having the gossip of a fleet of ships as well as Port Royal on her case._

He cleared his throat. “And another thing men,” His eyes slowly rose from the paper before him and deliberately met each of theirs. “There will be absolutely no talk whatsoever regarding my wife or William Turner and their time on this ship. In no way or aspect will the scene we happened upon ever be heard of again.” He gradually raised his right eyebrow and as he took a deep breath brought his shoulders to their tall relaxed height. “Should I hear of a word breathed on the subject after this moment heads will roll.”

One of the men cocked his head to the side. “Sir, your wife is safe and keeping house back at Port Royal at this moment if I’m not mistaken.” His eyebrows knit together as if he was concentrating very hard but a glint in his eye revealed his sharp thinking. He glanced over at the other officers. “Isn’t that so Mr. Lockson?”

Mr. Lockson looked at him like he was crazy for a moment till the light dawned in his eyes and he slowly nodded in agreement. “That’s right as far as I’m aware.”

A third swallowed. “Perhaps we ought to talk with the men.”

“It is not necessary to lie men, just make sure the entire crew is silent on this truth.” James closed the book and handed it back to Mr. Lockson.

“Well then, I believe we have an execution to proceed with. You may talk with your men after justice is served. Mr. Lockson, prepare for disposal of the bodies you two.” He pointed to two of the other four officers. “Get a line of ropes ready. And you, Mr. Uh?” He pointed at the clever one. This man’s dark hair carelessly slipped out from under his wig. “Alderman sir.”

“Yes Mr. Alderman, you will keep the prisoners in line till they’ve paid their debt. And dispose of the bodies.”

“Yes Admiral Norrington of course sir.”

They all stood attentive watching him. He nodded.

“I want this whole process over and done with before the hour is up. We need to be back on our route to Port Royal before sunset.”

“Yes sir,” They all responded in unison.

“Very good. Dismissed.” With that they were all off in the different directions.

Bile rose from James’ stomach, hangings were never enjoyable but letting wicked men go free was unacceptable and he would not postpone something that would happen anyway and run Elizabeth’s name through the mud in the process should they drag the lot of these scoundrels back to Port Royal.

James huffed a breath then rolled his shoulders and walked toward the center of the ship while men ran to and fro following commands being barked in a constant stream from the four officers he’d only spoken with a moment ago.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

* * *

  

“It’s alright Will, he knows what he’s doing.” She assured her trembling friend as she held his shoulder. The doctor was forcing Will’s arm to bend back into its normal position and feeling gently different areas of his elbow. Will’s face had lost all its color and the sweat poured from every place on his head, his shirt was already drenched. He gasped and squeezed her hand with particular strength. Much more of this pressure and the doctor would be resetting the bones in her hands and fingers no doubt. She glanced over at Theo who was biting his lip but steadily holding the lantern near for the doctor. Their eyes met and he gave her a slight nod. His eyes firm and strong. He must have been able to sense the dread and fear in her.

“Fear not, Mr. Turner, I’ve seen him patch a hundred sailors up and none of them have regretted his work.” Theo’s voice was steady and strong.

Elizabeth let out a small breath at his words.

“Yes, there now.” The doctor absentmindedly pressed something and Will reflexively jolted. “There there, Will, I’ve got you, you’re going to be fine.” She pulled his back to her and held him firmly. “Every-thing’s going to be fine.”

“Pass me that ribbon Captain.” The doctor reached back without taking his eyes off Will’s arm.

“Here.” Theo reached over and lifted the small strip of cloth that the doctor had laid over one of the cell bars when they had started. Placing it in his hand, he brought the light back to hover closer.

“There now, I need the bracing piece.” The doctor spoke with a little agitation.

“Of course.” One of the sailors on the other side of the doctor scrambled forward with a small straight strip of wood.

“Yes now hold it firmly against the boy’s arm while I tie it.” The doctor’s hair was itself gray and while he likely wore a wig at some point there wasn’t one in sight at the moment.  “Alright it’ll be a firm tension now young man.” And as he spoke he slowly pulled firmly on the ribbons till they held Will’s arm and the wood close together. Will inhaled and bit down on his lower lip till blood used from it.

“Right then a few more and we’ll let you get cleaned up and rested.” He nearly smiled as he reached backward open palm and waited for Theo to hand him another ribbon. Elizabeth’s eyes closed firmly till a single tear slipped down her cheek as Will’s entire body trembled in her embrace. Clearly the pain was overwhelming him. His throat bobbed. She looked at his lip. If he didn’t stop he’d run his teeth clear through the soft flesh.

“Will look at me,” She spoke gently. His eyes stayed trained on his arm. “Will listen,” She whispered and when he didn’t listen she unwrapped her arm from around his shoulders and took his face in her free hand tilting it till he was turned toward her. “Take a breath, this can be no worse than when you were stabbed and look you’ve bounced back from that like it was nothing.” She nearly smiled but couldn’t quite bring the effort to full effect. She searched his eyes as they finally pulled up to meet hers. Something in them expressed clearly that he was not entirely there. Some of the liquid the doctor had forced down his throat when they first returned to him was finally taking effect. His eyes bounced back and forth on her eyes.

“Miss Swann,” He whispered. He hadn’t called her that in a while. Hopefully the pain was somewhat reduced as well along with apparently his memory.  He leaned toward her and her heart leapt in her chest. He was going to kiss her. She pulled back and firmly held him away from her. His eyebrows furrowed for a second before he jolted and glanced back down at his arm. It all seemed to come back to him in that moment. He huffed in pain filled breath. But the doctor was finishing the last knot and testing the tightness. He seemed pleased.

“That’ll do. Captain see to it that this man is given a bottle of something strong and he’ll need a better place than this to recover properly.”

Theo looked at the other man standing there. “You heard the doctor, go fetch a drink. And you give him a hand up.”

“There now. See? All better.” She did smile at him then but he didn’t lift his head rather slumped against her. “Get him to the cabin above.” Theo ordered calmly.

“Mrs. Norrington, if I may?” The sailor looked at her and she firmly held him steady as she moved away from him. She held his shoulders as the man took up her spot and wrapped Will’s uninjured arm over his shoulder.

“Mr. Turner?” He spoke in preparation. Will only nodded.  With that he lifted Will to his feet and steadying him, he began to lead them out of the cell and toward the light of freedom.

As they continued the doctor looked at Elizabeth and halted himself as he was midway finished with putting his instruments away in his bag. “Mrs. Norrington. If I may, are you at all injured yourself?”  His eyes were hesitant as he gradually looked down her body and back up.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks heat as she looked at him then past him to Theo, who she was sure if there had been any clear sort of light in this damp and horrid pit of a prison, would be visibly red. Theo’s eyes carefully averted to give her as much privacy as possible.

“No thank you, I was not hurt in any way.” She assured him before moving toward Will and the unnamed sailor.

“I’m very glad to hear that.” The doctor eyed her skeptically but set back to returning his tools to their sack.   

 

* * *

 

 

As they climbed the stairs and light flooded around them, Elizabeth shielded her eyes. The brightness all of the sudden seemed so powerful. Strange sounds filled the air and her eyes narrowed as she tried to focus past the fuzziness of her vision. Then the view before her became clear and it seemed the last of their captors were being hung from the middle mast. James stood nearby with a book in hand. He was marking something in it and talking quietly to one of his officers. Will stumbled before her and she immediately turned back toward him and reached for his side. All his other injuries were catching up with him. It was only a few short steps and they were at the open doorway of the cabin. Quickly they stepped in and Elizabeth glanced around. Beckett had done a great deal with the place. Everything was cushioned and clean the wood was remade to look new and there was a small bed under the windows. “Here, let’s put him on the bed.” She told the sailor who nodded and moved Will toward it. Only now in the light could she really make out the filth that covered Will’s cloths and skin. No doubt she was no better but at least while he was resting she could get him cleaned up.

As they set him on the bed, she reached down and lifted his legs up. Will was all but completely out and he would be for hours-hopefully. Sleep was the best pain relief.

“Would you get a rag and a bucket of water, as well as a new set of clothes for Mr. Turner?” She looked at the sailor who was stepping back and waiting for further instructions.

“Yes of course Mrs. Norrington. Right away.” And he turned and quickly walked away.

Glancing down at Will, Elizabeth reached over and began slipping his shirt up his body. Limply he lay against the bed free and easily maneuverable. Lifting him by the shoulders, she sat behind him and let him rest on her lap. Smudges of oil, dirt and other dark marks covered his torso and shoulder a small cut from some unknown abrasion reached over his shoulder and dried blood crusted around it. “Oh Will,” she sighed looking at his now mostly peaceful face.

A few moments later the sailor returned with the requested items. He set the bucket down by her leg and handed her a cloth and a new shirt.

“Thank you.” She smiled up at him and set to dipping the cloth into the water. It was cold but clean.

“My pleasure, anything else?” He asked standing while he waited for an answer.

She glanced at Will and shrugged.

“Not that I can think of. I’ll call if I need anything else.” She decided and he turned and walked out with a nod, closing the door behind him.

Ringing out the rag, she opened it up and laid it on his shoulder before gently rubbing at the dried blood there. Slowly she wiped the dirt and smudges off his shoulder before moving lower to his chest and finally his abdomen. Then taking his arm in hand she slid the rag over it back and forth. He was already looking quite a bit better when the doors opened. She glanced up and back down before realizing it was James standing there. Her eyes shot back up. A tentative smile pulled at the corn of her lip. His eyes met hers then scanned over Will’s body and then landed back on hers. His jaw was set firmly and the light in his eyes only a while ago seemed to have been vanquished.

Just then Theo walked in behind him. James swallowed and cleared his throat his deep calm voice steady as ever.  “How is he?” He asked and his eyes were caught on the shirt bunched around Will’s arm where she hadn’t been able to slip the sleeve off because of the brace the doctor had tied around his injured limb.

“He’ll live. He’s taken a pretty bad break to this arm and he’s been beaten, and it seems starved.” Theo spoke from James’ side. Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed as she looked from James to Theo and back to James.

“Yes, he’s been beaten many times and whipped and yes most certainly starved.” She glanced down at Will’s ribs where the skin held taught around the bones her voice trailed off softly as she finished. “Whatever the doctor gave him seems to have put him to bed for a while. I cleaned him up but I couldn’t get the shirt off his arm and I have a new one for him but again, the brace is causing issue with that.” She drew her eyes from Will up to find James staring at her. When she caught him, he looked away and her heart skipped a beat. Why was beyond her.

“I, I can have a few of the men give me a hand with finishing up with the cleaning and we can replace the brace and get the new shirt on him I’m sure.” Theo offered. “Then you could um, return with Admiral Norrington to his cabin and have a bath perhaps?”

She looked down at herself and for the first time since they had been rescued really looked at herself. She was filthy, grimy; her cloths were stained in all different shades for all different reasons. _She must look a fright._ Slowly she nodded.

“That would be lovely, thank you.” She sighed but smiled slightly at Theo who grinned back genuinely seeming happy to help.

“I’ll only be a moment finding the men.” And with that he darted out.

 

James stood tall but would not take his eyes from the place they had come to rest on Will’s face. His expression was entirely unreadable. His hands which had been at his sides gradually pulled back till he was holding them together behind his back. She looked at his strong posture. He had rescued her and Will. They were going to be okay because of him. It had been a while since she had seen him at sea but he never seemed so in control as he did now. He had come for her, just as she knew he would. She was safe now. Will shifted in his sleep and his shoulder pressed against a bruise in her thigh. Drawing a breath through her teeth, she shifted under him and suddenly it hit her what had nearly been done to her just before James had showed up. Her breath became short. Her heart beat quicker. Those men had planned to- but then James had- and now she was free. Tears shot into her eyes and one slipped down her cheek. Her chest tightened as she fought to keep her sudden well of emotions down. She swallowed as her head spun a little. Licking her lip, she let out a shaky breath just as Theo walked back in she glanced up at James who was now staring at her eyes wide and face a little pale.

Ducking her head, she wiped away the tears and cleared her throat.

“If I may,” Theo reached for Will’s shoulders and lifted him from Elizabeth’s lap. He was either entirely unaware of her state or discreetly ignoring it.

“Thank you.” She managed her voice only quivering a little. 

He nodded and as she moved away, easily laid Will back again. Three men with him set to taking care of Will and she turned to James sure that Will would be fine now.

He was still watching her cautiously but he stepped back when she looked at him. “I doubt there is any here but there is hot stove water on the stove aboard the Vindication, be sure they give you a warm bath, Mrs. Norrington.” Theo called after her without looking up. She nearly cried at the idea of a warm soak.

“Thank you Captain Groves.” She whispered just as James turned toward the doorway and hesitated. Glancing at her hand, he waited a moment before offering his arm. No doubt she was repulsively dirty but she could not deny the urge to take the gesture of kindness. It had been so long. Stepping closer to him she slipped her arm into his.

“This way if you will.” James swallowed and his curt tone shot through her and out of reflex her eyebrows shot together before she could force them to sit where they belonged.

* * *

 

Elizabeth quietly followed him to the side of the ship.

“Secure this plank.” James spoke to the man who seemed to be standing guard over the boarding planks. Instantly the men on both ends of the planks held them firmly and James took a step up onto them. Then he reached back for her. She glanced at his hand and slipped hers into it. Firmly he lifted her up and then steadied her by the elbows before leading her over to the Vindication.  Only then did she look out across the sea and see a number of ships on the horizon headed in different directions. Never except near port or when she led the pirate fleet into battle had she ever seen so many ships together. 

“James,” She whispered her eyes not leaving the view. He turned toward her and waited a moment then he seemed to catch on and spoke softly.

“Not to fear, they are under British command.”

Her head whipped up to him. She searched his blue-green eyes but he only held her gaze for a moment before continuing forward. His hand never loosened from its steady grip on hers.

“Would you care for that bath now?” He asked as he leaped down onto the dock of the Vindication and reached up for her. She hesitated before she placed her hands on his shoulders. His motions echoed hers as his hands found their place on her hip and he lifted her as though she weighed nothing before he set her on the deck before him and he immediately released her.

“If it isn’t too much trouble, I would most certainly.” She licked her lip again. 

“Of course not, I’ll have the cook make sure it’s good and warm. A moment,” He turned from her and stepped over to an officer who stood beside the railing. In a moment the man was off and James turned back to her. His dark hair was tousled this way and that and the hard edges of his jaw seemed chiseled as he glanced down at her.

“Let’s get you into the cabin and the bath will be drawn as soon as it is ready.” He offered her his arm again and when she took it he lead them to the doors of his cabin.

As they stepped through the doors he turned back and closed them firmly behind him. Glancing around, he walked over to the desk and began gathering papers. She had never seen the inside of his quarters. It was simple and practical, much like James at first glance. But as she continued to look around she noticed the small designs carved by the bed and the small book on partially under the pillow that looked a bit like the one he’d given her. He finished clearing the maps and papers and stood up tall again.

“Here,” he offered pulling the chair behind the desk out. “Here please, come and sit.”

She neared the chair but stopped just before she sat. He was only a step away from her and she couldn’t help herself as she reached down and took his hand. His hand jolted and then froze as she touched it. 

“James,” She spoke just above a whisper as she drew his hand in front of her and held it in both of hers. His skin was tough and tan and she rubbed her thumbs over the back of it as she noted the calluses on his palm with her other fingers; this hand that had only an hour or so a go nearly choked the life out of a man now lay pliable and surrendered in her small fingers.

“I don’t know what-” She paused still keeping her eyes on his hand. “Well that isn’t entirely true. I do know what would have happened, but I don’t know what I would have done if you had not shown up when you did. I am forever in your debt. Thank you for saving me.” She leaned down and kissed his knuckles and only then realized she must be crying because the back of his hand was now wet. Her chest shook a little.

“Elizabeth,” his strong voice hesitated with reverence. “There is no need to thank me. I am only sorry that we could not have caught up with you sooner. Had I known what was going on here, I would have looked harder for you. But we found the note and I-” James sighed deeply and she narrowed her brows at his words slowly looking up till she found his face.

“What note James?” James was staring at their hands and he swallowed as a bit of color touched his cheek.

Just then a knock on the door caused her to jump and let go of his hand as he called out for whoever it was to enter. The door swung open and a large tub with four men holding it stood just outside the door.

“Ah yes,” James straitened his coat as he spoke. “Bring it in. Set it there.” He waved for them and pointed to a place just before the bed. “Be sure the water is to Mrs. Norrington’s liking then be sure the soap and cloth is here and see to it she has anything else she needs then you may leave.” He instructed.

“Yes sir.” They all answered and began bringing the tub in for her.

He turned toward her and spoke. “You are safe now. If there is anything else you should require please do not hesitate to ask. I will be preparing the Pearl with my men and we will continue our journey back to Port Royal as soon as the ships are ready. If you will excuse me.” He bowed to her and with that stepped around her and the desk and disappeared out the doors.

_What note was he talking about? Had he not been searching for her this whole time? Now it would be who knew how long till she got a chance to talk with him again!_

She shook her head but as her eye dropped on the tub a warm feeling spread through her chest and her shoulder and neck muscles began to ache as if on cue. Her questions could wait. The water was calling.

                                                                                                             

* * *

 

As she sat soaking in the tube her eyes rolled back and closed peacefully. Her mind which had begun to spin a million different directions with question about James’ ill-timed comment-or before the ill-timed interruption rather, slowly calmed and relaxed. Her left arm dangled out of the tub and in it she held the small flask she’d been given when the tub was brought in. With a sigh, she scratched her head. Her mind flashed back to a few moments ago as James had led her back to the cabin and allowed her to hold his arm.

_It had seemed unusually firm. Of course it was, he had to be quite strong working on a ship and still in his prime. If she had had any doubt before today, his scrap with Wells’ alone would have put any of those thoughts away. She’d touched his hand here in the cabin and though it had not really occurred to her then, his fingers were rough and held raw strength yet lay tamed and gentle in her touch._

A shiver ran up her back despite the warmth of the water. 

_What was she an immature school girl again?_

Her heart beat skipped.

 _This was no proper line of thought for a young lady_. She shook her head. _Then again when had she ever been a proper young lady?_

She took a deep breath and let it escape and brought the metal of the canister to her lips. The coolness of the water slipping down her throat seemed to burn against the warmth of her body and she coughed.

“Are you alright Elizabeth?”

_Was he standing outside the door this whole time?_

 

“Yes James, I’m quite fine thank you.”

 

_Who was this man she’d married? He was not the cold detached sea captain she’d once known but then who was he?_

 

“Who are you James Norrington?” She whispered under her breath as she stared at the door.


	12. "You, you what?"

Methodically James rubbed his thumb against the railing of the ship’s upper deck.

_She had the decency to allow him to escort her properly to his cabin but it had been clear when he found her with Will she was in love with him. This wasn’t a surprise._

James already knew that. Patient footsteps approached from his right behind him. 

“Well, how is he?” James quietly asked without looking.

“He’ll live. He’s resting now.” Theo stepped up beside him.

James drew himself up to his full height and swallowed nodding. “Good.”

The sunset burned across the water.

“Look James, we know he’s safe and alive,” Theo paused. “Perhaps I should have listed that in the other order. Either way, he’s fine now. Maybe it’s time we send him on his way.”

James looked over at him.

“Don’t misunderstand me, I mean him no harm but he’s in the way of your marriage. It’s none of my business but we could just send the pearl for refitting somewhere else.”

James’ shoulders sagged. He shook his head. “No, Theo, I thank you for your thoughtfulness. But I am fine as is my marriage. Will Turner or no, everything will be fine.”

_But it’s not right now! Just when he was doing better._

 

“Excuse me, where is the Admiral?” Elizabeth’s voice drifted clear as day from below, probably because she was the only woman aboard. The murmur of a seaman’s voice grumbled back and her footsteps climbing toward them tapped against the wood.

James let out his breath slowly through his teeth before he took a new deep breath as she reached his side.

Theo bowed low to her. “Mrs. Norrington, you’re looking quite well. How are you feeling?” His voice held a notch higher in its polite tone that James knew he only used with ladies. 

 

“Much better, thank you Captain Groves. That bath was exactly what I needed.”

James could hear the smile in her voice. He blinked a couple times. He would not let the sudden water in his eyes fall in front of her.

Their silence held till it seemed to be an actual presence between them.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me. I’ve men to order around. Or so I’ve learned by the previous captain of this vessel.” Theo excused himself with another bow and walked away.

James could not bring himself to look at Elizabeth just yet. Those ridiculous irritating tears wouldn’t go away. At least they had not fallen. A moment later she was in his peripheral vision. He cleared his throat and his eyes finally cleared. She stood in continued silence for a few moments longer.

Her tongue darted out between her lips as she dampened them. Clearly she was unsure about what she was about to say.

“James,-”

  “-Elizabeth,” His cheeks flared hot for a second as he looked down at her. Her hair was damp but clean and her thin frame was covered by a much too large shirt and which was belted around the waist and a dark set of leggings. He realized belatedly that the shirt was his. She was wearing his shirt in front of his crew. He swallowed again. Was his collar getting to small around his throat?

She glanced down a light blush growing on her cheeks and he realized he was staring. He shifted his feet and raised an open palm toward her.

“Please continue.” He offered.

She looked back up at him and a firm expression set on her face. “James, we need to talk.”

He tore his eyes from hers and looked out over the water. A small smile reached his face.

“Did you ever notice how the sea’s such a bewitching creature?” He leaned against the railing again. “She’s forever calling to a man.  Beautiful and breathtaking, dangerous and thrilling. She can make you the freest you’ll ever be sailing in the strong winds and then in a split second you can find yourself crashing into her depths with no hope of living the same after knowing her.” His voice was softer than he’d meant it to be.

She stepped up to the rail beside him. “A real hazard isn’t she?”

A short but scoffing laugh ripped from James’ chest without his permission. His eyes cut over toward her. “You might say that yes.”

Elizabeth nodded then sighed. “James can we talk?” She glanced around. Though there was no one close it was clear she wanted some privacy.

“We could go in the cabin if you like?” He offered turning his back to the railing and toward the inner part of the ship.

“Well we both know that is not a full proof solution.” She raised an eyebrow at him and he swallowed.

“I did not mean to intrude on your privacy. I was only walking by and meant to check in on you when I heard you choke.

She waved a hand dismissively at him. “No need to defend yourself James.”

“Well that is the best cover I have to offer unless you’d care to climb the mast. It’s quite private up there.”

“As tempting as that is, I’d rather not make a scene.” She folded her fingers together.

“Well then, we should be at Port Royal by tomorrow afternoon.” He offered.

She nodded. “Yes that will be just fine.” She slouched against a cabinet that stood behind her. “Have you heard how Will is doing?”

He couldn’t keep his back from stiffening. “Groves just told me he was doing quite well; resting at the moment. Or at least whenever the report had been given. Which I suspect was just before we parted from the Pearl.” He pointed at the ship which had pulled ahead of them by quite a bit.

“I had thought to bring him aboard and let you stay with him. But the Pearl is quite the fastest ship on these seas as has been painfully established. So I though bet to get him to a doctor who is better than our own sea surgeon.”

She watched the ship before them and nodded. “That is best.” She agreed and his head snapped toward her.

“I’m to watch the ship this night.” He told her and she met his eyes her brows narrowing a bit in clear confusion. “You are welcome to stay in my cabin tonight.” He offered. “No one will bother you. You’ll be quite safe and the bed is well better than a hammock.”

She reached over and placed a hand on his forearm gently. “Thank you again James. I believe I’ll get some rest. Anything will be better than the hard wood of the Pearl decks.”

With that she flashed him a very small smile and walked away. He watched her go. She had a slight limp and clearly if the dark bags under her eyes and the red rims around them were any indication, she was exhausted. It was a wonder she was not already asleep.   

* * *

 

The moonlight rippled over the water. In the distance Port Royal’s shores shone dimly. It had been some time since they’d been here and it was good to be back. Brushing past him and filling the sails, the wind blew strong and hard. Like a barn sour horse the Vindication cut through wave after wave heading to her bay.

James noted the distance they had to cover and glanced up at the moon. They’d be back to port long before the sun rose. They had opened all the sails and traveling at top speed. Still a ways ahead of them, the Pearl was very near to port and would be docked long before they arrived. The couple of ships he still had with him trailed behind them at a short distance and to either side of his ship. There was something poetic about moonlight, its pure white form that transfixed the world in a mysterious blue haze. It was almost mournful yet breathtaking.

They’d be to the port in a few hours and he’d need to send word to her father that she’d been found and was well. But she seemed quite tired and would probably need to rest. Clearly she was looking at him in some sort of positive light as she had yet to say one cross word or even breath a quarrelsome line toward him. She could still just be in shock over all that had happened but he wasn’t about to lose the small grasp on hope he’d found. Even if she didn’t care for him in that way she was being pleasant and he would take that at face value and cherish it for what it was-kindness.

He’d see her home and send word to her father and be sure she was well cared for till she was back in good health and able to talk with him for whatever it was she wanted to discuss it seemed important. His stomach clenched a little. She might want to take leave of him so she could be with Will. This was getting him nowhere fast. He would not presume what was on her mind and allow her to share with him when she was ready.

James took a breath and closed his eyes they were almost back to the safety of the island and he would get to discuss everything with her soon enough. 

* * *

 

 As they pulled into the dock he quickly sent young Mr. Piper with the news of their arrival and Elizabeth’s safe return to the governor. James glanced over to the other three ships in port. The Pearl had long since been docked and the two ships trailing the Vindication were nearly locked into to place. It wouldn’t be long before he had hundreds of men waiting instructions and assignments. He took a deep breath and glanced at his cabin. All the weight of his job pressing down on his shoulders by the second. He clenched his jaw as he looked back at the ships and again to the cabin. _She’d most likely still be asleep; probably for another few hours at least. Yet, how well would she actually rest if he left her here? Would she even want to be waken? What state would she be sleeping in and would it even be alright for him to go talk to her?_ He pulled his eye tightly closed for a few moments and pinched his nose.

He sighed, she would be in a state of dress no doubt just in case something happened and she needed to get out of there in haste. “Mr. Kelton,” the young friend of Mr. Piper walked up quickly dropping his half coiled rope.

“Sir?”

“Fetch a carriage for Mrs. Norrington. She is to go to the manor straight away.”

“Yes sir. Right away sir!” Kelton bolted off his shirt was getting too small on him now as his arms seemed to just grown three inches. 

“Captain Groves.” James spoke as he sensed Theo in the shadows.

“Yes Admiral?” Theo stepped out of the darkness and into the moonlight.

“I want you to head over to the Pearl and have the crew begin cleaning her and checking for needed repair. She’ll be set for repair by this evening. See to it.” James spoke walked away.

“Of course James.” Theo walked away quietly and stretched as he went; unlike the young boys he was in no great hurry or rush to fulfill his task. 

“I’ll see you this evening.”

“Thank you Captain.” James walked toward the young other newly appointed captain who was holding the ships logs.

They would get this ship unloaded and cleared quickly so she could be cleaned as well and everyone could get some rest at long last. 

* * *

 

An hour later Mr. Kelton approached James who stood on the top deck. “Admiral sir, the carriage is ready and waiting at the end of the dock.”  
James turned toward the boy. “Very good. Well done lad.” James patted the boy on the shoulder and walked past him.  
He would take Elizabeth to the manor and return to finish overseeing the ships’ maintenance. “Go fetch Captain Groves Mr. Kelton.”

“Yes sir,” and with that he jogged away.

Tentatively, James neared the cabin door. He lifted a hand to knock and held it midair listening. It was impossible to hear inside with all the noise out here. Gently he wrapped his knuckles against the wood and waited.

Nothing happened.

He knocked again.

Silence.

With his other hand, he reached up and slowly opened the door. As he peered into the darkness shapes gradually took form and his eyes acclimated. Quietly, he made his way to the bed. She lay there entirely out. Dead to the world it would seem. Her gentle breathing remained uninterrupted and he sighed. It was so good to see her in such a state of peace.

“Elizabeth?” He grimaced at his own voice. She would not want to be waken. Still she’d be able to rest much better should she be in a more comfortable bed in a quiet room.

“Elizabeth?” He whispered again but she remained unmoved. Gently he touched her blanket covered shoulder and nudged it. Her nose scrunched and her lips twitched but it was clear she was deeply asleep. He glanced down to her feet and back up to her face. He might be able to just carry her to the carriage. It was worth a shot as she seemed so completely in the throes of slumber. Swallowing, he reached down and slid his arms under her shoulders and knees. Sighing deeply she rolled her head to his shoulder and mumbled something incoherent. James tried to fight down the warmth that was rising in his chest but it was a powerful force.

Turning, he headed for the door. She was light as a feather. As he walked out of the cabin, a few men looked up out of habit but quickly returned their focus to their work. They knew better than to stare. He walked steadily to the boarding ramp and continued down the pier to the awaiting carriage. As he reached it, Groves stepped on to the dock beside him from the Pearl’s ramp.

He looked at James and James held up his open palm for him to wait. So he remained silent and fell into step with James. When they reached the carriage Groves opened the door. Bending toward the opening, James stepped in and leaned over one of the benches to lay her against it. Snuggly, he tucked the blankets around her then drew back and stepped out of the carriage and motioned for Groves to walk a few steps away with him from the coach.

“I am taking Elizabeth back to the manor. While I am gone you oversee to the ships. I’ll be back as soon as I get her safely there. We will get this work here done as quickly as possible. I think everyone needs a little rest from all the traveling.”

  
Groves’ eyes widened a little at the last words that James uttered but he quickly recovered and nodded. “Alright will do.” He nodded. “Oh, James?”

James looked at him mid turn.

“What are we to do with William Turner?”

James’ breath caught, he’d managed to forget about him somehow in all the business. “See to it that he is taken to the fort and given a room. Get the doctor and have him check over Turner as soon as you are able. We don’t want him to lose that arm.” He cleared his throat. “Make sure he’s comfortable-well as comfortable as he can be with a broken arm.”

  
“As you say.” Groves agreed and the men parted ways.

James walked to the front of the coach and quietly instructed the driver then climbed in and sat across from Elizabeth who was still peacefully at ease in her dreams. A few moments later the driver whistled a whip cracked and the coach eased forward picking up speed till they were going at a comfortable pace down the road. As the coach bumped along Elizabeth began slipping unconsciously toward the edge. James reached over and gently pushed her back. It worked for a few minutes but then she was back on the edge. Sighing, he leaned over and pulled her up till she was nearly sitting upright and there was room for him on the bench beside her. Slipping onto the seat he wrapped an arm around her and held her against him keeping her from falling.

Thirty minutes later, they were at the manor and pulling to a halt. Everything rocked forward and he held her tightly against him. A moment later the coach driver hopped down and walked to the door. Opening it, he bowed slightly. James re-situated her against his chest and climbed out of the carriage. The front door opened and Ester stood there eyes wide as she looked at them.

“You found her!” She whispered. “Is she alright?” She looked over Elizabeth.

James shuffled her in his arms getting a better hold. “She’s fine, just very tired from the journey and all.”

“Praise the Lord; I thought she’d be-well never mind. Shall I turn down the sheets?” She glanced toward the room upstairs. “It’s rather dusty in there I’m afraid though since it was to be left as it was when she was there.” She noted the state of things per his instructions before he’d left.

“No, we’ll let her rest in my room. It’s clean and ready.” He made his way up the stairs and she followed close behind.  
When they reached the landing, he stepped away from his door to give Ester the space to open it. She slipped passed opened it and walked in immediately going to the bed. Pulling down the covers and the sheets, she fluffed the pillow and stepped aside for him. In one graceful motion, James laid her down and slipped her feet beneath the end of the sheets. He had no idea if she was normally cold or warm so he left the blanket that still covered her on her and pulled the sheet and blanket from his bed up over her as well. He stepped back and looked at her a moment then turned and walked toward the doorway. Ester followed him out and he closed the door behind them.

“Check in on her and make sure she does not get too warm.” He instructed scratching his head. “Also make her some soup. She needs nourishment.”

Ester nodded in agreement. “In the state she’s in that is certainly true.” She half spoke to herself and James’ eyed her.

_What state? She couldn’t have seen the bruises._

He shook his head a little to himself and turned to leave. He paused and looked back at her. “Thank you Ester.”

“Of course sir.”

With that he headed down the steps toward the door. He had a long day ahead of him getting things in order with the fleet but for once in his life duty to the navy seemed of little importance and he couldn’t fight the urge he had to want to stay here.  
Still responsibility would not go unacknowledged and he climbed into the cabin and headed toward the docks once more.

* * *

 

It had been a long day. Goves had done well but there had been a lot to do still. By the time they had Will situated in a comfortable room; gotten the ships, docked and cleaned and repair inventory for the Pearl weariness was in every man’s eyes. Sinking in the horizon, the sun was headed to bed long before he would be.  With a deep breath, James glanced down at the crew logs on the table before him. Half the crew would be heading home and the other half staying on each ship. The last thing they needed right now was to leave the ships unguarded and ripe for the taking.

The crew silently stood waiting to see who would get the night off to return to their homes and families and who would stay aboard and have to wait till the ‘marrow to see their loved ones. James lifted the book.

“Those whose names are called may silently,” He looked up and emphasized his words. “Leave-silently.” He eyed them coldly. It was no secret that the men would want to go back home and rest in the comfort of the people they loved.  But it would take ten times as long if they began celebrating before he had a chance to dismiss all of them. With that, he called out the first name on the list. A man from the front row bent down picked up his satchel and walked toward the ramp grinning in a tired state of happiness. On and on it went, James called a name and a man drew away from the crowed and down the long path to his home. 

At long last half of the crew stood on the deck, faces set, knowing they would be here till tomorrow when they too could go home. James closed the book and dismissed the remaining crew to rest in their on board quarters. Then he turned and headed toward the ramp to speak with Groves.

Groves seemed to be of the same mind as when James reached the landing of the ramp turned and near crashed into the man.

“Well,” he stepped back and smoothed his coat. “Did you dismiss half your crew?”

He looked at Theo who nodded. “Good. Have three men on night watch, each shift I mean.  I have no intention of losing these ships now that we have them here.”

“Of course James.” Theo agreed and leaned against the stack of crates that stood on the deck. “Are you headed to the manor?” He wondered.

James shook his head. He’d been contemplating it but he would stay aboard this night till fresh officers could be set over the ships.

“Well then, how about a game of chess?” Theo suggested with a shrug.

“Why not?” James agreed and they headed toward the cabin. As Theo set up the board, James both opened the curtains and set out candles for when it became too dark to see.

“So you hiding from your wife?”

Theo never had been very tactful.        

James hesitated as he set his last pawn in place. “Hardly.”

Theo raised an eyebrow as James met his gaze.

“Then why are you not home with her now?” He took his first move.

“I’m not back at the manor because I cannot justify being in the comfort of my own property when half my men are still on duty without fresh supervision.” He took a breath.

“I’m also unsure what to expect, Elizabeth wanted to speak once we got back and I don’t want to rush or pressure her. Not to mention she’s still very tired and healing and no doubt her father is there by now and they likely want some time to themselves.”

Theo nearly grinned at him. “Coward,”

James rolled his eyes and scoffed moving his pawn. “I am many things, Theo, a coward is not one of them.”

“Yes I can see that.” Groves did grin that time and James resisted the urged to shake his head. Instead he focused on the game and concentrating on beating Theo.

“Well at least she wants to talk.” Theo spoke after some time had passed. “That’s something. Probably something good.” He shrugged a hopeful note in his voice for his friend.

“Perhaps; it seemed a pleasant idea when she suggested it.” James agreed but would not allow himself to think much past that. There was no point in false hope.  

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, James rose early and putting Groves in charge left for the manor. Quietly, he stepped into the kitchen. He’d talk with Ester before he ventured further into the house. She stood by the sink with a tray in her hand.

“Ester,” He spoke softly not wishing to wake Elizabeth should she still be sleeping. Ester turned toward him and smiled.

“Sir?” She set the tray back down.

“How is she?” He stepped up beside her but looked toward the door that lead to the hallway and the rest of the house.

“She’s doing really well. The governor is here and they are taking tea in the parlor. Shall I tell her you’re here?”

He glanced back at her then down to the tray.

“No, here let me take this to her.”  He nodded toward the teapot and cups on the silver platter.

She grinned. “Very well sir.” She lifted the tray and handed it to him.

 

In silence he walked toward the parlor. Their voices drifted into the hallway and as he drew closer their words became clearer.

 

“Why would you suggest that?” Her voice carried disbelief in it. “All this time he’s been-” she trailed off into thought. “That explains a few things then.” She whispered. “You would put him up to something like this. Dangle his promotion over his head so I could be pardoned.”

“No Elizabeth, dear, no you misunderstand. He married you so you could be free regardless of the promotion. That had happened before you were even brought into the picture. But I fear if he hadn’t gotten involved you would be in the ground by now.” Her father’s tone was reverent and soft.

“What?”

“Listen Elizabeth, someone was hunting you down. I don’t know why but he had a warrant for your arrest and anyway, James’ marrying you put you under the protection of the king and he no longer had a legal hold to get you. I honestly didn’t know  if you were even alive until you returned to Port Royal that afternoon. Then I knew something had to be done, and I had looked over as many methods as I could think of to keep you safe. This was the only one that seemed full proof. If James had not married you, I-well I hate to think what might have happened.”

This was not the time to walk in on them. James silently turned but her father’s words stopped him in his tracks.

“Elizabeth dear, what, if I may ask, what happened at sea that would have had you a wanted criminal?”

She scoffed but then sighed.  “Father, I am the Pirate King.” A quick gasp filled the silence. She continued though.

“I was ruler of the seas and whoever it was who was looking for me, I wager found that out. It wouldn’t be the first time nor the last that someone would hunt me down for that.”

She sighed again. “So how much did you offer him to marry me?” She asked and James felt his heart sink even as his neck seemed to go stiff.

“He wouldn’t take a pound. He wasn’t interested in money, he wasn’t even going to propose again because you’d been so opposed to him before, but when he heard you were in danger he agreed to marry you the next day; which is exactly what happened. I think he would have married you that day, but he’d been clear he wanted to give you time to adjust to the idea. And you were so crushed when you came back to us. None of us knew why but he wanted to give you as much space as he could while keeping you as safe as possible.”

“Of course he did.” But the bitterness in her voice had waned and turned mournful. He knew now why she’d been so distraught at the time. _She had thought Will dead and it had crushed her. Now she knew the truth._

He knew he should leave but his feet just wouldn’t move.

 

“So I’m married to a man out of obligation. You arranged this didn’t you?” It was more of an accusation than a question.

It was silent for a few moments and all James could hear were heart beats pounding. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. This would not end well.

“Yes.” He conceded and she huffed. “But Elizabeth, I did not have to bribe him at all.”

“Well I should hope not!” Her tone became proud but James could tell she was hurt.

“His only concern was that you feel obligated to marry him because he knew you didn’t care for him-” There was silence till he quietly added “as did everyone I think.”

James didn’t even realize that the teacups were tipping till they all clattered together and he righted the platter with a jerk narrowly keeping them all up and safe-not without alerting the two inside the room.

He took righted the dishes and took a step forward. _He would have to right this._ As he looked up though, he blinked. Elizabeth stood before him face red eyes moist and fists clenched. _Oh he was in for trouble now._

Her jaw tightened then relaxed forcibly then tightened again. She glared at him and her eyes cut to the try and he had to keep from flinching as she met his gaze again. Fire seemed to spew from her eyes and he burned in their wake.

Without a word, she turned on her heel and dashed away, out the door with. He caught his breath and set the tray on the ground and glanced into the room. “If you’ll excuse me.” He spoke halfheartedly to her father and ran after her.

 

 

She was fast when she wanted to be. He paused as he stepped out the door and glanced around. Already she was half way to the forest on the back side of the field. Their field had long since been plowed under and was nothing but dirt and weeds at this point. Bolting after her, he hoped she’d at least give him a chance to explain.

“Elizabeth wait!” He called but she only seemed to redouble her efforts to get away at his words. Quickening his steps, he huffed. It’d been too long since he had a good run and this uneven dirt was not helping. Pounding in his chest his heart seemed to protest his efforts but he ignored it keeping his focus on Elizabeth as she topped the bank and scrambled into the thick brush. She was fast for sure, but he had longer legs and the distance between them was closing fast.

As he reached the top of the hill and tracked her into the forest he glanced around. She was only a few yards ahead of him.

She must have thought I’d slowed down.

He jogged over to her and caught her wrist. Jolting, she whipped around like some startled and frightened animal. It was only then that he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. Yanking at his grip, she tried to twist free. He wasn’t having it though. They needed to talk. She’d said so. He held her firmly but made sure not to cinch down and hurt her.

“Elizabeth, we need to talk.” He pleaded gently.

“About what?” She threw back at him. “Your reward? My price? This whole arrangement? What did my father offer you that was so irresistible that you found it worth tying yourself to me an evidently condemned woman for?”

His eyes grew and he dropped her hand like a hot iron.

She stepped closer. “What is it you want James?” She glared hard and he did flinch but kept his mouth closed.

“Well? You hunted me down through the seas! Or so I thought but you seemed disinclined to acknowledge that when you rescued me on the Pearl. Were you actually looking for me? Did you actually save Will?”

His eyes faltered and he glanced to the side.

“Well?” She prompted but some of her fire had died and her voice sounded small again. “Did you want him to come back to me?”

James’ couldn’t help the way his nostrils flared at that idea.

“How did you find us?” She nearly whispered and his heart broke a little more.

“I, that is I-No, I was not looking for you.” He sighed and her eyebrow lifted just a little.

“Well wait, I was then I wasn’t.”

She squinted her eyes at him.

“Hold on, I’ll explain everything.” He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck his eyes climbing to meet hers.

“The night you left, well the night I was better from that illness I heard you go out. I didn’t think much of it and figured you just needed space and I was well prepared to give it to you.” He glanced around and noticed the clear attention this place had been given. Off to the side there was a small flower garden and a nook with a bench and even an area where the ground had been cleared and grass was growing.

“I didn’t know this place was here.” He commented.

“That’s because it wasn’t.” She watched him as his eye reached back to meet hers. “Although I will say that Joseph has kept it up well. It’s even more beautiful than when we planted and cleared it.” Her voice dimmed and her pain was evident in it.

His eyes widened. “You made this?”             

“Yes, it was meant to be a special place for us. A sort of wedding gift.” She nearly laughed as though that thought was unbelievable. His heart sank and caught at the same time.

_Had she meant it as a real marriage gift?_

“It’s lovely.” He spoke softly as he neared the grass. “Shall we sit this might take a while?”  

 

* * *

 

 

She watched him take in the little garden she’d made for him when she still had hopes that this could become something real between them.

“Please sit.” He waved toward the bench but she opted to find a spot on the grass across from him.

“I’d like to start at the beginning.” He took a deep breath and waited looking at her.

“I wish you would.” She shrugged and tucked her legs to her side.

“So, the day before we were married, your father came to me for a chat.”

 

She could feel her stomach flop.

 

“He said you were in trouble and that he’d done all he could for you and that you had a price on your head.” He paused and glanced at her. “He said that you needed a husband’s protection and that it had to be someone powerful enough to sponge out some criminal activity. He had promoted me and seen to my placement back in the navy only a year before that so I knew no matter what he asked, I owed it to him.”

 _Great!  He did marry her out of duty, he was paying off a debt._ She should have known.

 

“But the truth was, Elizabeth, that I’d always wanted to marry you and I wouldn’t have if only because I knew you didn’t want to marry me. Then this whole issue came up and I figured you’d rather be chained to me than hung from a rope like some common criminal.”

He glanced at her and he seemed fearful.

“Anyway, I convinced myself it was so. Better alive and imprisoned than dead. So I asked you to marry me- I’m still not quite sure why you said yes. Then after we were wed, I thought you might want to be back at sea which I knew I couldn’t stop even if I tried, which I had no intention of attempting. Then after a while I thought, well I noticed how unhappy you were and I found out Will was lost at sea and decided I should rescue him and bring him back. Whether or not you-” He stopped himself and his eyes which had fallen to the ground halted and he seemed to have to force himself to continue. “It was the right thing to do. But then I came to the manor and found you together. I know you’ve never really cared for me but I had hoped-that is,” his brows knit together and he cleared his throat. “Anyway, you seemed quite enthralled and I must have been sick because the next thing I knew you were with me in my room. Then I, well then you left; I thought maybe something had happened to you but, but I found the note- well Joseph did and I knew,” He nearly smiled as he looked at her but it was not a happy smile there was more pain there than she’d ever seen in them. “I knew I’d lost you to the better man. I had meant to find you but then I realized that you were happily off with Turner and I couldn’t bring myself to track you down. I had wanted you to have a signed document to protect you but well you were gone without a trace.” He sniffed and his lips closed. A resigned, anguished, distant, rejected and almost apologetic light flashed through his eyes.

_How could so many emotions be expressed with not a single word?_

 

“Then I um, well I needed some distance from here. I set off after talking to Joseph and Ester-actually hold on I’ve turned some of that around. Sorry it’s been quite a long hull  since we last saw one another.” He squinted and cleared his throat again. “My apologies, I left before I knew you were gone, after speaking with Joseph and Ester, I had needed space because I had seen you with William and the we argued and you seemed to be quite done with me, so I left and when I returned I heard you’d been gone then I went out searching for you and all the rest went as I said. Then after I’d resigned myself to losing you I um, well I went head long into my work. We started capturing these ships and it was all very confusing the crews were near to nothing and they all had brigs full of prisoners. Much like the one we found you on, only that one just had the two of you on-”

“Cutler Beckett.” She spoke the cold lifeless words almost without thinking.

“-Pardon?” He glanced up at her.

“Cutler Beckett, he’s the one that’s masterminding the whole thing. He kidnapped me.”

“What?” James’ face was paler than a sheet. “But you and William, I thought-”

“That I’d run away with Will?” She spat the words. He’d thought so little of her integrity.

“No James, I did not, I had every intention of staying with you. I went to speak to Will about it. And he found us and, and,” Her head was spinning. “And why would you bring Will back here?” She sat up. “How could you think so little of me James? Was it some sort of test? Did you mean for me to prove my loyalty before you’d treat me as a proper wife?” She could not help the heat that rose to her cheeks as she huffed the words.

“Did you actually believe I was so faithless to abandon you after giving you my word in our vows as well as in our conversations twice, that I would stay?”

His eyes grew.

“Elizabeth, I had not meant to- that is I only wanted you to be happy.” He was nearly silent as he finished.

“And I could not be happy with you?” Her eyes burned against the hot liquid that rose in them.

“Well I’d hoped so but you made it quite clear that you wanted nothing to do with me and I had no intention of pushing my presence on you. Elizabeth you are like the sun and I have no plans to darken your light with clouds and storms.”

Her heart rose into her throat and her mind spun at his words.

“Why? Why are you so good to me?” She demanded her fists pound into her legs and she restrained herself from reacting as her hand thudded into her bruise.

“Because I love you Elizabeth!” He spoke quickly much faster than either of them had a chance to realize as the words struck her and seemed to stun him.

She blinked at him. “You, you what?” She almost couldn’t form the words.

He swallowed and forced himself to keep eye contact with her.

“I’m sorry, I had not meant to, to um to say that.” He stuttered and ran his fingers through his hair.

Her eyes held wide as she stared. Finally her brain seemed to catch up. “Did, but did you mean it?”

He stood up and stepped back. “I sorry Elizabeth, yes I meant it but I should not have pushed that on you. Yes I do love you but I know that you do not love me and it is entirely ungentlemanly of me to burden you like that.”

She was stunned nothing moved within her. Even her heart seemed to stop.

He bowed low and cleared his throat. “Forgive me, I will leave you and see to your father. He is I’m sure quite worried about you.”  He turned and with that walked away.

Staring till he was out of sight, she finally caught her breath in a gasp.

 _He loved her? After everything that had happened? After he had thought she’d left him with Will? In all this craziness and separation and- and- he loved her?_  


	13. Perhaps, just maybe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all!  
> I hope you enjoy this one! Please let me know what you think! I love the comments!  
> Have a fantastic week!

“Elizabeth, Elizabeth, please wake up?”

The words were fuzzy and distant and though her name was being called it didn’t quite reach her mind. Her eyes cracked open and light poured into her vision. She squinted and covered her eyes.

  
“Oh good,” he sighed in clear relief. “You had me worried there.” James nearly smiled. “I think that’s a bit too much running, just after that long a trip, I don’t know what you were being fed but I’m sure it wasn’t enough.” He shook his head and she only then noticed she was on the ground in the middle of her little garden.

  
Glancing down, she noticed his hand on her forearm. The other was on her opposite shoulder.

He followed her gaze and quickly withdrew his hands.

  
“James?” She peered at him, but the guilt that had been in his eyes a moment ago was gone. “James, what is going on?” 

_Hadn’t he just stormed off? Didn’t he just say he loved her?_

  
He glanced at her swallowed and put the back of his hand to her head. “Well you’re not feverish, thank God.” He let out another breath his eyes meeting hers. “You were just inside with your father, you dashed out and I followed you. We ended up in this garden, we sat down and I started to explain but I noticed you didn’t look so good and then you fainted.” He explained.

  
“What was the last thing you said?”

  
“Well I was explaining the state of the ships we were finding. Then you said Cutler Beckett and your voice sounded strange and then you were on the ground.”

  
_AH! Then she’d been dreaming? The whole thing? He never said he loved her?_  
Her eyes closed slowly rolling back as they did. _Of course only in a dream would he actually love her!_

“That’s it? That’s all that happened?” She leaned forward searching his eyes which shone blankly back. He was telling the truth, his eyes couldn’t lie to save his life. She took a deep breath. _Well then, good to know what her subconscious was cooking up in its spare time!_

  
“Alright well perhaps you could finish what you were saying?” She moved passed the low feeling in her gut.

  
“Are you sure, Elizabeth you might still need to rest. You were so tired when I brought you back here, you didn’t even stir.”

  
She huffed a breath and cleared her throat. “I’m quite alright thank you! Now please explain yourself.”

  
“Well that is it really, we were finding ships like the one we found you on, and-” He shrugged. “Well collecting them really. Now what was it you were saying about Cutler Beckett?”

  
“He, he’s the one putting the ships in that odd manner.”

  
James scrunched his nose, his eyebrows already furrowed.

  
“He kidnapped me-and Will.”

  
James’ eyes widened but he didn’t say anything.

  
“He wanted to use my power, as Pirate King, to command the surrenders of other ships. He was taking them over, why I don’t know.”

  
James dropped his focus lower for a moment. He seemed to be struggling with something; a cloud of thoughts whirling behind his eyes; his eyes that wouldn’t meet hers.

“What is it James?” She asked quietly. 

He opened his mouth then closed it. Took in a breath then let it out. “It’s just, well that is to say. Well, how long, how long were you and Will at sea?” 

Her eyebrows shot together then sprang apart. _An odd question for sure._ “I don’t entirely know, you kind of lose track of time when you can’t see the light of day.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and tugged at his lower lip with his teeth. “I mean, I mean before Beckett caught you.” 

She squinted at him, her head tilting to the side. She might have just been in a dream but reality was playing out not far from it. “Well, the whole time I was gone.”

His eyes grew and lit and his jaw opened just a little. “But, but?” He ran his fingers through his hair which had grown a little longer since she’d last seen him. 

“But what James? Did you think me just a renegade that I’d leave you, this marriage, go back on my word?” Something burned in her chest at the unintentionally implied insult. 

“Well it’s just that, we found, well we found the note-here.” He leaned forward and drew open his coat pulling a folded paper from it. Glancing at it, he handed it to her.  
Opening it quickly, she read over it in a burst of speed. It was addressed to her, from Will but she’d never seen it. _When had he written it? It must have been before they were captured, perhaps even before she’d spoken with him because his intentions were clear. He loved her and wanted to be with her. If James had read this then he would have no doubts about Will’s affection for her._ She blushed.  
“Where did you find this?” She looked at him but he looked guilty all of the sudden and almost in pain as well as he shied from her gaze and spoke low.  
  
“It was under a pile of bottles in the sand, on your beach, where I’d seen you and Will just before you disappeared.” 

She cleared her throat, her cheeks flaring deeper. _He’d seen them? Well then there are two strikes against her. If he’d been-_

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t meaning to spy. Or maybe I was, I just saw you go down there and-” He shrugged. 

“James, I’ve never seen this note.” She folded it back up and put it beside his hand that rested on the ground.  
His body froze at her words. 

“I was down there with Will to tell him that I was married and we’d only just be friends, then Beckett showed up and took us both. I’ve spent the last-well however long I’ve been gone-”

“-191 days,”

Her eyes shot to his and he barely met her gaze. “I was gone that long?” Her heart sank. _It was over half a year. She’d lost track of time but had it really been that long? And he knew exactly how long she’d been gone just like that?_

  
“Yes, if I’d known you were in captivity I would have hunted you down. I cannot begin to express,” he reached over and picked up her hand gently bending over and kissing it. “How very sorry I am that I did not find you sooner, that I did not realize you were in captivity, that I doubted your faithfulness.” His words were mere whispers lightly against her knuckles that sent a shiver up her arm and down her spine. “I’m sure you want time to readjust and settle back in.” He looked at her and there was a blankness to his eyes. “I will be busy at the docks with the refitting of the Pearl; you will have the manor nearly all to yourself for the next few days. I trust that should give you the space you need to rest and become comfortable.”

  
He seemed eager to be away from her. She looked at him and sure enough, he sat up taller and then stood. “If I may escort you back?” He offered her a hand.  
“Were we finished with our discussion?” The words leapt from her lips before she could check them. 

“Oh um, no?” He looked at her and waited for her to continue. 

“It’s just, I had some other things I meant to ask you.” 

He sat back down. 

“Today I woke up in your bed,” She cleared her throat and tried not to let the heat of the words climb to her face. 

“Oh, yes, well I,” he licked his lips. “I had not let Ester disturb your room while you were gone and it was quite dusty and whatnot. So I thought it best to let you rest in mine since it was clean and ready. I’m sure Ester has cleaned and tidied your room long since I lay you down.” He scratched his forehead. 

“And were, you, that is did you sleep well? I don’t know how used to partners in your bed you are.” _Did she really just say that out loud?_ She could literally shrivel up into nothing and she’d be happy for it. _How did she manage to navigate them into these murky untold waters?_

  
“Oh, no I didn’t and I haven’t-” He flushed and even his ears were red. “I’ve been at the ships all this time. We’ve been working and I couldn’t justify leaving my men to guard the ships on the first night back while getting to rest well myself. I’ll stay at the manor tonight but I’ve only just stopped working just before I returned a little while ago.”  
He swallowed and pulled at his collar. “Forgive me, but I just realized we quite left your father back in the parlor and we probably ought to see to our company.” 

Even she was ready to go back to the discomfort of the conversation she’d been having with her father. It would be a relief at this point. “Yes, you’re quite right.” She agreed, standing up alongside him.

  
In thick silence they made their way back to her father who was yet still sitting in the parlor waiting for them. As she glanced at her father, her husband’s last words to her rang in her head- _well who was she kidding? They hadn’t even made their way out of her head yet. What did he mean he hadn’t-? Hadn’t been with anyone? He was a young naval officer, how had he not been with anyone?_ Her cheeks burned at the idea. As she looked at her father even her neck warmed and she wondered if he could guess what was on her mind. It was all just a little too much. Her father’s gaze became worried and she only then realized everyone was looking at her. _Had they asked her something?_  
“Father, forgive me, I need to lie down.” She didn’t wait for a response and quickly climbed the stairs and crossed the short landing opening her door and stepping in she leaned against the shelter it offered her. As she stood there James’ soft words rippled through the house.

“I’m sorry sir, perhaps a different day. She’s, well she seems not quite ready to receive visitors.” James no doubt was bowing to her father as they walked outside. 

_Had they cleared anything up? Or was it all just so much more dizzying to think about? They had never even talked about making theirs a true marriage. He had never even seemed all that interested and she just had to go and make things strange between them just now on the day after returning to the manor she hadn’t been to in 191 days evidently! 191 days since they’d argued in his room. 191 days since she’d stormed out without giving him a chance to talk to her about whatever it was on his mind when he was thanking her for helping him! 191 days since she’d told Will that she was married and staying that way._  
She groaned and dove into her bed. 

* * *

 

 _Was the morning sun always this bright?_ James sat up and rubbed his palms against his eyes. Outside his window birds sang joyfully. Somewhere in the distance waves crashed upon the shores; the gray noise it offered was nothing less than a shielding barrier guarding them from demands of the rest of the world. He glanced at his closed door. Elizabeth had been unwell to the point of fainting last night. Those savages had nearly starved her to death. His jaw clenched and released only to clench again. _She would be okay, God willing, and things would be better; she had to be, they had to be._ He swallowed hard, hands trembling. Blinking a few times, he sighed and tossed the blankets away. As the sun beat through the window and down on his bare shoulders, it warmed him slightly. James stood his pants loose around his hips slipped lower needing to be refastened. _She’d need food. Likely she wouldn’t even be up for much this morning after last night’s fainting spell. She was weak from their poor treatment._ The growl escaped his throat before he could register it. Taking a deep breath he set to changing and preparing for the day.

  
A light tap at her door jolted her up. Her bone-weary state of last evening had pulled her down to the depths of sleep for; she glanced out the window at the bright of day, the whole night evidently. _Wait- how’d the sunlight get in?_ Her eyes squinted and she glanced around for the bars and the familiar hunched shadowy figure of Will across the walk from her. As she took in the room the night before came back in a flash as memories of the snarling pirates who’d tied her to a mast intending- the knock on the door cut through her thoughts. Swallowing down the bile that suddenly leapt into her throat, Elizabeth drew her eyes to her night gown covered body as a shiver climbed up her back. With a shake of her head, she pulled the covers up to her chest and spoke in a horse whisper.

“Come in,” Clearing her throat, she repeated her call.

This time the door creaked open in response. Slowly a tray entered her view. James stepped in his eyes clearly averted down to the floor in respect.

“Elizabeth?” He spoke gently. Was he always so soft-spoken? She licked her lips as her heart skipped a beat.

  
“I am decent James you are free to look.” She called to him lightly; anything more might shatter the peacefulness of the moment.  
As if hardly believing her, he took a quick glance at her immediately doing a double take to reassure himself before he seemed satisfied and stepped more into the room.

“I um,” His eyes flicked from her face to the tray he held and back to her. “Ester was-and I thought that is I am not-” His brows pulled in and his lips pressed together in a slight grimace. _Did he always stutter and she’d never noticed it?_ She tilted her head to the side just a bit. Taking a deep breath with his eyes slowly reaching hers, he set his chin. “I am not sure if I will be called to the port today. You, I’m sure, need your sleep but likely need nourishment as well. I, we all want you to be able to recover well and be back to full health as soon as you might be able to.” He lifted the tray just slightly. “Breakfast is warm and ready for you if you can stomach it.” He stood in the middle of the room as if an old oak planted firmly unwavering.

  
“You didn’t have to bring it up to me James; I am fine I’m sure.” She rubbed the sheet between her fingers slowly forcefully. His eyes tracked her fingers and she forced herself to stop. As she did his gaze flicked back up to her eyes. The room felt a little constricting.

  
“I just want to be sure of that.” He took a small step toward her and she couldn’t stop the flinch in her tense muscles as her back stiffened and she clutched the sheets tighter against herself pulling her feet up. He froze eyes going wide. He would never hurt her, it wasn’t even a question. She just couldn’t keep those grimy hands and lust-filed gazes of the creeps on that deck out of her mind’s eye. Her eyes fell to the ground searchingly as if the answers were there somehow. The tightness of the ropes around her seemed to hold her once more, burning her flesh where they rubbed against her. Slamming her eyes shut against the memory flushed a hot tear down her cheek. As she clenched her jaw and swallowed, she finally convinced herself to open her eyes. Finally as she worked up the courage to look at James, she felt her chest tighten. He was pale as the moon, posture ridged.

  
“I’m very sorry Elizabeth, I had not, that is, I in no way meant to frighten you.” He took a step back slowly as if he worried he might spook her.  
Something pinged in her stomach. Heat flooded her face. She could kill those pirates if he had not already had them dispatched. It was hardly James’ fault for trying to help her.

“No James it’s not that, I just-well actually.” She brought her hand up and gently tugged at her earlobe.

He continued backing up. “Elizabeth, it’s,” he swallowed again. “It’s quite alright. I understand.” Nodding more to himself than her, he kept backing till he was near her dresser and lightly bumping it he gradually turned and placed the tray on it all the while keeping his eyes fixed on hers. “Listen, there’s just one thing.” He paused then glancing at the food for a second. “You can’t eat too fast. You won’t be able to keep it down. Eat slowly.” He reached up, his hands free now and rubbed the back of his neck. With that he fumbled for the door knob behind him. 

“I’m, I’ll head to the port now. Ester will be here if you need anything and I’m only a messenger away, if you should-” He nodded as if that were enough then chuckled a humorless sound almost an exhale more than an actual laugh. With that he turned and was gone.

  
Staring at the door, she listened as his footsteps got more and more distant till she couldn’t hear them anymore. Then letting out a sharp growl, she slammed her head back.  
_This was James, James Norrington, the man who’d saved her from execution, protected her virtue, and rescued her from starvation; he had not ill intentions toward her and her stupid nerves couldn’t differentiate between him and the scum who’d attacked her?_ If it wouldn’t absolutely seem fake she’d go thank him and apologize but after all that had happened it would hardly come across the right way at this point. But she would have to try. Clenching her jaw and relaxing it, she stood up and approached the tray he’d left for her. The toast and jam did look amazing and the warmth coming from the porridge shot right through her and her stomach suddenly roared in demand of attention.

* * *

 

When Elizabeth had finally eaten her fill and forced herself to take her time of it, she changed slowly as her limbs all seemed resistant to movement and inclined to just slip under the covers and sleep the day away much as she’d spent the night. Staring at the bed, Elizabeth shook her head. She would not let herself slip into a routine of listlessness. She needed to talk to someone and she needed to do something productive.

  
Heading down the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen. As she set her dishes on the counter, her ears picked up the sound of someone walking in from the outside door. She looked up as Ester walked in. A sigh left the woman’s lips as her lips turned into a near smile. Arms stretching wide, Ester slowly approached her.  
“Mrs. Norrington, you’re looking much better.” She spoke quietly and her soft tone beckoned Elizabeth to her.

Flinging herself forward, Elizabeth wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman. Suddenly the flood gates opened and she couldn’t keep the tears at bay.  
“Oh Ester!” She wept into her shoulder. Despite the fact that she was taller than woman, she managed to nearly collapse against her. Ester’s strength was not in question as she held the slight girl against her. “How I’ve missed you!” Her shoulders shook with the sob that ripped through her.

  
“Oh dear girl.” Ester patted her head gently and rubbed her back. “It’s okay now, you’re safe.” She hummed rocking a little.

  
Once Elizabeth’s tears had dried against her cheeks and her throat was near dry, Ester pulled back and looked up at her holding the sides of her face in her hands. “Do you wanna talk about it?” She searched her eyes. Elizabeth sniffled and nodded rubbing her nose with the back of her hand.

  
“Should we sit?” Ester gestured at the table. Elizabeth followed as she lead her toward the chair and pulled it out for her.  
As they sat, Ester reached out and rubbed Elizabeth’s forearm that rested against the table top. “You wanna start from the beginning? Whenever you’re ready,”

  
Elizabeth swallowed and her eyes flicked up from her hands which were clenched together to meet Ester’s. The kindness in her dark eyes warmed Elizabeth’s heart a moment.  
Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Well it started all those days ago, when Will showed up. He wanted me to come away with him.” She looked up Ester’s eyes for judgment. The calm expression hinted at nothing. “As it turns out, I think James is in fact the one who brought him here.” 

Ester’s eyebrows narrowed.

  
“Well not here exactly, he rescued Will. I thought he was dead. He’d gone off and then, well anyway. I though he was dead till he showed up that day. I had no idea that it was even James who saved him till we’d been at sea for a while. The nerve he had, asking me to leave James after James had spent all of our first days of marriage hunting him down and saving him.” She huffed as her hands lightly banged the table with the effort to crush the thought.

  
“When James had been sick we had-well we had words,” her eyes rolled up and she wiped the tear away that threatened to spill from her left eye. “I set out in a huff and stormed down to the beach.” She shook her head. “Anyway, when I was there, I ran into Will by chance, that’s when Beckett came and took us.” 

“You poor dear,” Ester shook her head and her thumb gently rubbed back and forth on the back of her hand.  
Elizabeth pushed on. “Well we were held by Beckett for weeks in his ships brig. He used Will against me to keep me under control while he plundered ships I had commanded to not fight so he could take them over. If I hadn’t he’d hurt Will or worse. Then I found out James was capturing the ships that were being refitted by Beckett. He works for the East India Company,” She hesitated at Ester’s gasp. 

“What is it?”

“The Ea-that company, they’re the ones who took Joseph and me, all those years ago.” She whispered her eyes falling to the table.

  
As the words settled in Elizabeth, he breakfast threatened to rise. Swallowing hard, her fingers which she only now realized were shaking clasped over Ester’s. “James caught all the ships as far as I know that we had taken over. Beckett will not be able to use them. They’re here in the bay.” 

"That must be why the Admiral wanted to know about our past." She whispered but relaxed visibly. “Please go on.” She nodded.

  
Elizabeth wanted to ask her more about it but decided it'd be best spoken of later. “Well after a while we stopped finding ships and Beckett decided to leave. I don’t know where he went but he left and took with him some others. But once he was gone someone,” She shook as she forced herself to continue. “I-we,” she let out a shaky breath. “Some of the men decided to-decided I would make,” She swallowed and Ester patted her hand.

  
“Did they hurt the baby?” She asked as she glanced at Elizabeth’s midsection.

  
Elizabeth’s eyes shot together. Her thoughts froze. Ester leaned forward and her eyes softened more if that was possible.

  
“Ruthless men,” She began slowly. “Can be careless with young women and completely thoughtless when it comes to babes in the womb.”

  
Elizabeth opened her mouth but words just seemed to have entirely escaped her she began to shake her head. “Ester I-”

Ester’s eyes glanced past her and she sat up. “Joseph,” 

Elizabeth followed her line of sight and Joseph seemingly unaware of their presence till that moment glanced up a tight smile pulling on his face. His arms full of wood, he made his way to the corner where the stove stood. 

“I’ll just leave this here.” He nodded at his wife then glanced at Elizabeth. “Mrs. Norrington, the Admiral is to be here soon, shall I tell him you’re in the kitchen?” 

Elizabeth glanced up and only then realized that it was nearly sundown. “Thank you Joseph that would be just fine.” 

He nodded and with a quick acknowledgment he walked back out. 

She whirled back toward Ester. “Ester, I’m not and I’ve never been pregnant.” 

Ester’s eyes grew. “Before you disappeared?” She squinted. “I thought for sure you’d been with child. You had many of the signs. Are you certain your grief hasn’t blinded you?” She leaned forward eyebrows lifting just a little.

  
“No Ester, I’m quite sure.” She swallowed heat rising in her cheeks. “You have to-I’d have to have been with a man for that to be the situation.” She was sure there wasn’t an inch of her not bright with color at this point. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Ester at that point.

  
A small sigh left Ester’s lips. There wasn’t really anywhere good to go from that point smoothly. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth set her shoulders. 

“I um,”

“Were you hurt by those men?” Ester’s voice was reverent. 

“Not much. Nothing but a few scrapes, before they could get to me James showed up and saved us all.” 

“That is a fine man you have there.” 

“He’s hardly mine.” Elizabeth sighed. _Wait did I just say that out loud? What is happening with me?_ Her eyes grew wide as she kept them trained to her now white knuckles.  
  
Ester brought her hand to Elizabeth’s chin and slowly turned it up till she was facing her. Gradually Elizabeth made herself look at Ester. She wasn’t quite sure what she’d been expecting but the gentle smile that lay across her face wasn’t it.

  
         “I understand he was gone a good deal of time just after you two were wed but I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Sweetheart, that man loves you. There is little doubt in my mind who he thinks he belongs to. Right now he’s likely giving you your space because of what you’ve been through.” Then a mischievous glint entered her eyes and a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lip. “But if you are interested in him I have little doubt that you’d carrying a babe there,” She pointed to Elizabeth’s abdomen. “With one on your hip and another running around the house in no time at all.”

  
If it was possible for Elizabeth’s jaw to be any lower it would have been. Something bloomed in her chest as her heart threatened to beat its way out of it. _James did love her? Ester could see that? What was she gonna do with that bit of information? Did she love James? Stop- there’s no time for that thought right now. Wait was this still part of that dream? No._ She could feel the ache in her hands from squeezing them so tightly. Forget color being in her cheeks no doubt the blood had all drained from her face and left her feeling a little dizzy.

  
“Ester I-”

Her mouth closed and opened and closed again as the small smile that had tugged at Ester’s lip split into a huge grin.

“Child, don’t look so surprised, you’re a married woman with a strapping young man who is clearly over the moon for you.” She laughed and patted Elizabeth’s shoulder.

Elizabeth bit her lip as a tiny pull on it threatened to have her joining Ester. As she finally sighed after her fit of laughter died, her concern returned again.

“But if you need time because of what those men have done to you, I have no doubt that Master Norrington would be very patient with you. Elizabeth dear, you only need to talk with him. Talking and letting your partner know what it is you need, how it is you’re feeling, if there’s something that is on your mind. That is the best thing you can do for a marriage. Not understanding each other is one of the hardest things you can go through and if you can be honest and make sure you both agree with one another, well you can take on most anything.” She nodded let out a deep breath. There was a lot of real life experience behind that advice.

  
“Well, I believe I need to start on supper. Unless you’d rather I wait a bit longer?”

  
Elizabeth looked up. “No I think preparing food is quite the best idea at the moment. Besides while all your words have helped me tremendously I’m not sure I could take much more advice at the moment.” A hint of pink leapt up to her cheek bones again and she couldn’t miss Ester’s snicker if she’d tried. “Let me help you.”

Ester looked at her and seemed to assess her ability. Nodding slowly after a minute, she agreed. “Alright child, but if you need to sit or even lie down, you let me know. I’ll not have you fainting on my watch.” 

Elizabeth chuckled to herself. She had no reason to faint just now.

 

* * *

 

 

As they finished cooking, Ester set to cleaning the counters and picked up a handful of silverware. Watching Ester, Elizabeth scooped the dishes out of her hand and pulled a few place settings from the drawer. Humming a tune to herself, Elizabeth walked over to the kitchen table.

  
“Child, are you quite sure you want to eat in here?” Ester asked as she still wiped the counters.

  
“Quite sure, thank you Ester. And Ester,” She paused and looked up at her friend. “Thank you for everything. For listening, and for-” she bit her lip refusing to be embarrassed. “And for the advice.”

  
A tender smile lit Ester’s face. “Of course sweetheart, anytime.”

  
Creaking open, the front door announced a new presence. Still holding the knives and forks, Elizabeth walked to the hall doorway and poked her head out. James stood there hat in hand. His cloths were far from the fancy attire he normally wore on duty. A simple white long-sleeve hung on his broad shoulders and his dark trousers held a few scrapes and tears. He’d been working hard all day no doubt.

  
She brought her eyes up to meet his and only then realized he was looking at her. When their eyes connected a shiver shot through her and the unreadable expression on his face nearly stilled her heart as an odd fear settled over her. Shaking her head slightly, she took a breath.

“Supper’s ready.” She choked out.

  
He nodded a sing curt bob of his head. “I’ll just go change.” 

“Alright,” She nearly whispered back. And he was gone, up the stairs and if the quiet closing of his door was any indication into his room.  
Frowning, she rubbed her brow but turned to finish setting the table.

A few minutes later James entered the kitchen but not before making his presence very obvious with the way he nearly trotted down the stairs and seemed to step quite heavily through the hallway and even going as far as to wait in the door way as he first spoke. 

“Are we to be eating supper in here?” He asked even as his eyes fell on the table. 

Elizabeth shared a glance with Ester. _That was odd._

“Yes, if that suits you alright.” She looked to him and waited. 

His brow shifted in relaxation. “Yes that’s quite alright with me.” 

“Good.” 

And with that he walked slowly to the table and keeping it between himself and her waited till she’d sat down before gently lowering himself into the seat beside her where she’d placed his setting. He waited watching her serve herself and accepting whatever she offered him. Once she’d begun eating, he quietly followed suit. 

“So,” She began just before she slipped a few green beans into her mouth. “How was your day?”

He looked at her and swallowed the food he’d been chewing. It would seem before he finished chewing it.

“Well, the Pearl is to be a massive project refitting but the men are diligent and under the right supervision I’m certain she’ll be ready to set sail within the year.”

“I’m sure you’re more than capable to handle that task.” She offered adding a small smile to the complement.

“Oh, no, I’m not supervising her. Well not directly at least. No I’m working on resupplying the rest of the fleet and getting all the soldiers on proper rotation. Actually Lieutenant Groves is overseeing the refitting.” He paused and his eyes slowly met hers something dawning in them before he added. “Thank you for the confidence though. How,” he wiped a bit of gravy off his lip. “Was your day?”

Her most recent conversation flashed in her mind and she couldn’t keep her breath from coming a bit ragged. She nodded before she began speaking. “My day, my day went fairly well.” She slipped the mashed potatoes into her mouth before she could say anything else.

After she’d swallowed she looked at him. “Thank you for asking.”

  
He nodded to her and turned his attention back to his food. “This is very good. It’s been a-” He seemed to think better of what he was about to say mid-sentence and paused. “Ester has out done herself tonight.” He opted and brought a fork full of meat into his mouth.

Elizabeth could keep it to herself that she’d done that little bit he was currently enjoying and treasure his good opinion without needing to be the focus of his complement. She let a closed smile grace her face for a moment before continuing to eat. As they ate in the comfortable silence that fell over them, her eyes drifted over his movements. While she watched his hands, she noticed maybe for the first time how strong they were and at the same time how gentle he worked over his meal with them. He moved and she looked up at him in time to notice his eyes on her. His focused gaze locked with hers and held for a few moments before she couldn’t hold it anymore and forced herself to look at her plate. In her chest her heart jumped and froze before setting a slightly faster pace as she continued to eat. _Perhaps, just maybe Ester was right. This man that she had married might be able to look over all the hassle that she’d put him through enough to give her a chance to make his efforts worth it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this might be the most of Elizabeth's POV that I've done in a chapter. Let me know what you guys think!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, for your comments and kudos!!! I'd love to know what you think so far! Please feel free to comment!  
> Hope to see you soon with more to share! :)


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